NEW YORK (AP) — Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Monday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, expanding his country's relations with the West and further easing its isolation as he becomes in a high-level annual U.N. meeting in nearly 60 years.

The last time a Syrian head of state attended the U.N. General Assembly meeting of world leaders was in 1967 — before the 50-year rule of the Assad family dynasty. A lightning insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa ousted in December and brought nearly 14 years of civil war to an end.

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