The European Union is studying gradually and temporarily lifting some of the sanctions imposed on Syria in exchange for the new leadership of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), designated as a terrorist organization by the UN and the United States, to carry out reforms for the protection of minorities, women’s rights and security and defense issues. The foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states will analyze this easing of restrictions at a meeting in Brussels on January 27. Meanwhile, the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, debates this Sunday along with other international and regional diplomatic representatives the future of the Arab country after the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime, in a meeting in Riyadh. (Saudi Arabia).
“We will analyze how to alleviate the sanctions, but this decision must take place after a tangible process within a political transition that reflects Syria in all its diversity,” Kallas stressed in a message broadcast on social networks upon his arrival in Riyadh. “There is hope and also challenges in Syria,” he said. The foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon and Kuwait also attended the meeting in Riyadh. Also the German, Annalena Baerbock, and the United States Undersecretary of State, John Bass.
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad – now exiled in Russia – the EU has debated how to relate to the new Syrian interim government, controlled by the Salafist group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) and its leader, Ahmed al Shara. The Union and some of its member states have taken rapid steps to open diplomatic relations with the new authorities – the group has been notably moderating its postulates, although it comes from the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda – and several foreign ministers, including the Italian Antonio Tajani, the Frenchman Jean-Noël Barrot and the German Annalena Baerbock—the representatives of Berlin and Paris, under the European mandate of Kallas—have visited Damascus to meet with the new leadership in an attempt not only to test the waters, but also to establish ties and make it clear to the new regime that the EU is there, but only under certain conditions.
Some countries also want this approach to serve not only to encourage the return of thousands of Syrian refugees who are now in Europe, but also to dissuade the new regime from maintaining any relationship with Russia, an ally of Assad for years.
The debate now is whether and how to lift some European sanctions that have been weighing on Syria for years. Several Member States, including Italy and Germany, have proposed a gradual lifting of, for example, restrictions on the banking sector, air transport, the movement of private assets to allow funds to return to the country and thus boost the return of refugees, and reduce taxes on the energy sector to improve supply in the country, which now has very serious shortcomings. But all only if democratic reforms are guaranteed.
Berlin and Rome have sent the rest of the member states several proposals to reformulate relations with the new Syrian leadership, which include the lifting of sanctions that – as an option to guarantee that the reforms are carried out and are irreversible – can be temporary, according to the proposals. to which Morning Express has had access.
France has also mentioned that possibility. “There are some sanctions that today prevent access to humanitarian aid and make the country’s recovery difficult. “These sanctions could be lifted quickly,” said the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, a few days ago, after his visit to Damascus accompanied by his German counterpart, which sparked controversy when the Syrian leader de facto and from HTS, Ahmed al Shara, did not shake hands with the minister but with Barrot. “There are other sanctions that we are discussing with our European partners and that could be lifted, but obviously it will depend on the pace at which our expectations for Syria in terms of women and security are taken into account,” said the Frenchman in an interview with France Inter.
The United States has already taken a similar step and has eased some sanctions for a period of six months to allow certain transactions with the Syrian Government, personal remittances and energy payments, so that the imposed restrictions do not hinder basic services such as the supply of electricity, water or sanitation, according to a note from the Treasury department.
