Syria's President Assad is fast "coming in from the cold" a recent AFP headline concluded. This not unlike the history of Libya's Gaddafi, suddenly going from international pariah status to being courted by the Bush administration starting in 2004, culminating in Condoleezza Rice sharing a late night dinner with the late Libyan dictator during an official visit in September 2008 (though later returning to "pariah" in 2011, leading to a bloody field execution). But for Assad, who's long long promised to "liberate every inch" of natural Syria — now a greater possibility given US plans to pull all troops out of the country likely within months — things could be moving faster than anyone expected.

An exclusive report by Middle East news site, Al Masdar, suggests the UK could be the next to reestablish official diplomatic relations with Assad, as the British Embassy in Damascus appears to be undergoing construction after being shuttered for most of the conflict following the suspension of all services in 2012. Could Britain be readying to reopen its embassy in Syria following similar preparations by a spate of Arab nations, most notably the UAE?

Al Masdar News was able to confirm the following by visiting the British embassy location in Damascus: 

The British Embassy in Damascus is undergoing construction, despite the fact that it was closed at the start of the Syrian conflict.

According to an Al-Masdar field correspondent who visited the site, the British Embassy in Damascus was indeed under construction, marking the first time since its closure that any work has been done to the building.

Syrian government officials, who would be kept apprised of any impending plans or construction works, declined to comment:

Al-Masdar reached out to the Syrian government about the mysterious construction; however, the official in Damascus declined to comment on the project.

The project reportedly began earlier this week and the construction focused on the front entrance of the building.