ANKARA The EU will step up its diplomatic presence in post-Assad Syria, the president of the European Council has said. The EU is “already engaging with actors on the ground, the new authorities, and other regional actors,” and “will increase its diplomatic presence in (the capital) Damascus,” Antonio Costa told a Thursday news conference after an EU Council meeting in Brussels. Stressing the bloc’s objective to “preserve Syria’s territorial integrity (and) ensure respect for human rights,” he