EU considers easing Syrian sanctions for reforms and guarantees
According to the Financial Times, which cited its sources on Tuesday, Germany is suggesting that the EU ease some sanctions on the Syrian banking and energy sectors in exchange for social reforms and non-proliferation guarantees.
According to the British newspaper's reports, Berlin made this proposal before the holidays and hopes to gain support at the meeting of European Union foreign ministers, which will take place on 27 January in Brussels.
Sources for the "FT" state that the proposal involves gradually lifting sanctions imposed on Syria during the brutal regime of Bashar al-Assad in exchange for progress in the areas of minority and women's rights, as well as assurances of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Syrian rebels, led by the Islamist organisation Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), announced on 8 December the overthrow of the Assad regime, which had remained in power for the past few years largely thanks to help from Russia and Iran. Assad fled to Russia, where he and his family received asylum.
The EU wants to support Syria
On 3 January, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot visited the Syrian capital, Damascus, where they met with the new Syrian leader, Ahmed al-Shara. Baerbock stated at that time that the EU wanted to support Syria in a peaceful transition but emphasised that the Community "obviously will not finance the Islamisation of society."
During the meeting, al-Shara did not shake Baerbock's hand in greeting.
On 6 January, the US Department of the Treasury announced a temporary exclusion of some transactions with the new Syrian government from sanctions, in order to "not hinder" the delivery of essential services such as electricity and water.
