Farouk al shaara biography of rory

Farouk al-Sharaa has served as Syrian foreign minister for almost two decades. During this time he has been seen as a key proponent of Syria's hardline position on Israel and its call for greater unity among Arab states.

Born in Dar'a near the Jordanian border in 1938, he studied English at Damascus University and international law in London.

He was Syria's ambassador to Italy in the 1970s.

He became the minister of state for foreign affairs in 1980, then foreign minister in 1984.

During the Iran-Iraq war, Mr Al-Sharaa defended Syria's policy of support for Iran, which led to a severing of ties with Iraq.

But he also presided over a thaw in relations with Iraq in the 1990s.

In April 1990 he worked closely with Iranian officials to secure the release of an American hostage held captive in Lebanon by the pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad.

In May 1991 he attended talks which cemented a reconciliation between Damasc