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EU to Consider Easing Syria Sanctions 01/13 06:15
European Union foreign ministers will meet in late January to discuss easing
sanctions imposed on Syria, the bloc's foreign policy chief said Sunday.
However, she said the move would depend on Syria's new rulers carrying out an
inclusive political transition after last month's overthrow of President Bashar
Assad.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- European Union foreign ministers will meet in
late January to discuss easing sanctions imposed on Syria, the bloc's foreign
policy chief said Sunday. However, she said the move would depend on Syria's
new rulers carrying out an inclusive political transition after last month's
overthrow of President Bashar Assad.
Kaja Kallas' comments came at a gathering of top European and Middle Eastern
diplomats in the Saudi capital of Riyadh to discuss Syria's future.
Saudi Arabia called for the lifting of sanctions, which threaten to
undermine Syria's recovery from nearly 14 years of civil war that killed an
estimated 500,000 people and displaced half the country's prewar population of
23 million.
European countries and the United States have been wary over the Islamist
roots of the former insurgents who drove Assad out of power and who now lead an
interim government.
The former rebels have promised to hold a national dialogue summit that
includes different groups across Syria to agree upon a new political road map
leading to a new constitution and an election.
Kallas said EU foreign ministers will look at how to ease sanctions during a
Jan. 27 meeting in Brussels.
"But this must follow tangible progress in a political transition that
reflects Syria in all its diversity," she said in a post on the social media
platform X. She also posted a photo of herself meeting the new Syrian foreign
minister, Asaad al-Shibani at Sunday's gathering.
Germany urges 'smart approach' to sanctions
The U.S., the EU and some Arab nations began imposing sanctions on Syria
after Assad's brutal crackdown on the 2011 uprising against his rule and
tightened them as the conflict spiraled into war.
Some of the measures are against individuals in Assad's government,
including freezing of assets. But many target the government in general,
including bans on many financial and banking dealings, on oil purchases and on
investment or trade in some sectors, crippling the wider Syrian economy.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said sanctions against "Assad's
henchmen who committed serious crimes" must remain in place.
But she called for "a smart approach to sanctions, providing rapid relief
for the Syrian population. Syrians now need a quick dividend from the
transition of power." Baerbock did not elaborate but announced an additional 50
million euros ($51.2 million) in German aid for food, emergency shelters and
medical care.
At the gathering, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said
international and unilateral sanctions on Syria should be lifted.
Continuing them "will hinder the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people
to achieve development and reconstruction," he said. He praised steps taken so
far by the interim Syrian government, including promises to start a political
process "that includes various components" of the Syrian people.
Turkey urges 'balance' in international demands of Syria
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said his country, which was a strong
supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, would try to help Syria in
normalizing ties with the international community.
He said it was important to establish a "balance between the expectations of
the international community and the realities faced by the new administration
in Syria."
He pledged Turkish support to the new government, especially in combating
threats from the Islamic State group.
"As Turkey, we are ready to do our part to ease the difficult path ahead for
the Syrian people," he said in comments carried by Turkey's state-run Anadolu
Agency.
Washington has eased some restrictions
Last week, Washington eased some of its restrictions on Syria, with the U.S.
Treasury issuing a general license, lasting six months, that authorizes certain
transactions with the Syrian government, including some energy sales and
incidental transactions.
The U.S. has also dropped a $10 million bounty it had offered for the
capture of Ahmad al-Sharaa, a Syrian rebel leader formerly known as Abu
Mohammed al-Golani, whose forces led the ouster of Assad last month. Al-Sharaa
was a former senior al-Qaida militant who broke with the group years ago and
has pledged an inclusive Syria that respects the rights of religious minorities.
The rebels led a lightning insurgency that ousted Assad on Dec. 8 and ended
his family's decades-long rule.
Much of the world severed ties with Assad and imposed sanctions on his
government -- and its Russian and Iranian allies -- over alleged war crimes and
the manufacturing of the amphetamine-like stimulant Captagon, which reportedly
generated billions of dollars as packages of the little white pills were
smuggled across Syria's porous borders.
With Assad out of the picture, Syria's new authorities hope that the
international community will pour money into the country to rebuild its
battered infrastructure and make its economy viable again.
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