12/20/2024–|Last updated: 12/20/202409:25 (Mecca time)
The US State Department said three senior US diplomats would travel to Damascus today Friday to meet with the commander-in-chief of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, while the European Union stipulated that the new administration would take what she described. as “appropriate measures” to improve relations.
A statement from the US State Department confirmed that the US delegation, consisting of will work to uncover information about missing Americans Austin Tice, Majd Kamal Almaz and others, and will also meet with representatives of the Syrian civil society, activists and members of various communities. .
America’s top diplomat for Middle East affairs, Barbara Leaf, presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Roger Carstens, and new advisor, Daniel Rubinstein, charged with leading the U.S. State Department’s efforts in Syria, will be the first American diplomats. going to Damascus since the Syrian opposition overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
The British newspaper Financial Times reported from well-informed sources that outgoing US President Joe Biden will send a diplomatic delegation to Syria in the coming days, led by the head of American diplomacy Barbara Leaf.
The delegation’s planned meeting with Al-Shara will be the first official contact between the United States and the leadership of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham.
At the same time, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said concrete steps were needed to build an inclusive, non-sectarian government in Syria.
Blinken added – in a podcast interview with Bloomberg – that Washington wants to make clear to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham that recognition meets certain expectations and that everyone needs to see concrete steps to build a global government and a transition leading up to elections, indicating that his country is considering all the sanctions authorities it has.
After the fall of the regime of deposed President Bashar al-Assad, on the 8th of this month, Washington announced that it had contacted the organization several times, and American sources indicated that it was considering removing it from the list of “organizations terrorists”. »
The commander-in-chief of the new Syrian administration called for the lifting of sanctions against Syria and the removal of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham from the list of terrorist organizations, stressing that his country does not pose a threat to anyone.
The US administration called for the formation of a government representing all components of Syria and said its potential actions towards Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the new administration in Syria would be determined by actions on the ground and not by words.
European requirements
In Brussels, European Commissioner for Foreign Policy Kaya Kallas said there is agreement between EU countries on the common goal of achieving a stable and peaceful Syria, without civil war.
Callas added that the positions of European Union countries would be positive if the new Syrian administration takes appropriate measures.
The European summit also called for respect for Syria’s sovereignty and for its political support by raising the level of exchanges and intensifying contacts with the new regime in Damascus.
A communiqué issued during the summit indicates that the positive actions of the regime will be accompanied by others from Brussels, underlining the need to take advantage of the historic opportunity to reunify the country.
For his part, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the situation in Syria is evolving rapidly and many did not expect what the regime of deposed President Bashar al-Assad would become.
Starmer added, in his responses to the House of Commons Liaison Committee, that we should not rush to judge the new reality in Syria.
For his part, the spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lemoyne, declared that his country’s assessment of the new Syrian authorities would be based on their actions and not on speeches or declarations of intentions.
Le Moine said Israel must withdraw its military forces from the Syrian Golan and respect Syrian sovereignty, calling for the implementation of the agreement signed between Syria and Israel in 1974.
Holding criminals accountable
Separately, the United Nations on Thursday stressed the need to hold perpetrators of crimes in Syria to account, for the sake of its people, who suffered for many years under the regime of deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said holding perpetrators of crimes in Syria to account was necessary for the sake of the long-suffering Syrian people.
Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that Turkey, which has provided aid to the Syrian people, can play an important role in convincing the parties to engage in a comprehensive dialogue.
In a statement to journalists on Thursday, Guterres stressed the need to create conditions for a permanent ceasefire in northeast Syria.
Asked whether sanctions on Syria should be lifted or not, Guterres replied: “The sanctions were applied to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, and that situation has changed.”