French shipping group CMA CGM signs deal with Syria

DAMASCUS, July 7 (Reuters) - French shipping group CMA CGM signed a partnership deal with Syria, said President Emmanuel Macron's office on Tuesday, as Macron undertook a trip to Damascus to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which had been disrupted by bomb explosions.

The CMA CGM deal would include handling an air cargo freight at Damascus international airport, said Macron's office. Syria had announced earlier in May a contract for CMA CGM to operate two dry ports.

CMA CGM's deal was among several for French companies, announced by Macron's office, which also said that France and Syria had started a process to give back to Syria €51 million ($58.29 million) confiscated from the late Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

($1 = 0.8750 euros)

(Reporting by Clotaire Aichi, John Irish, Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Louise Heavens)