LONDON: Syrian and French officials met in Damascus on Wednesday to discuss ways to expand military and defense cooperation. Deputy Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khair Hassan Shuaib met Herve Hamelin, the head of international military relations at the French Armed Forces General Staff, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported. Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa met Gen. Vincent Giraud, chief military adviser to the French president, to discuss military cooperation last month.