Germany’s foreign minister says sanctions against Syrian officials responsible for war crimes must remain in place but called for a “smart approach” to provide relief to the Syrian population after last month’s overthrow of President Bashar Assad.

Germany has advocated a relaxation of some EU sanctions against Syria following the ouster of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad as Saudi Arabia hosted Sunday an international conference on the situation in the war-shattered country.

Foreign ministers and top diplomats from Western and Middle Eastern countries are meeting Syria's new foreign minister in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday at the first such regional meeting on Syria since President Bashar al-Assad was ousted last month.

Western and Arab powers were meeting in Riyadh on Sunday to discuss the future of post-Assad Syria as Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the rebel group that brought down the former regime last month, builds a monopoly on power in Damascus.

Top diplomats from regional countries and the West are gathering in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on Sunday to discuss the situation in war-torn Syria, more than a month after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad's regime.