New developments in Syria binds EU Ministers to lift sanctions on HTS-led leadership

Many EU Ministers are expecting the new HTS-led Syrian leadership to turf out Russian soldiers before removing the restrictive measures imposed on the jihadist group. The claim was mainly supported by the Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp. Before lifting the restrictive measures, the Dutch diplomat continued, “It is good to set conditions on a political transition that guarantees the rights of minorities, such as the Christian and Kurdish minorities, as well as the dismantling of Russian bases on Syrian territory.”

The fall of the Bashar al Assad regime sparked enthusiasm among the EU governments. First, it is considered a defeat for Putin, who could not support one of his most reliable allies in the Near East. Maybe more importantly, it ushers in renewed hopes for the establishment of a new interlocutor in the region.

The EU suspended all bilateral cooperation with the Syrian government in May 2011 following the escalation of violence and unacceptable human rights situation. Many restrictive measures have been adopted against the Syrian regime over the years. Syria’s participation in EU-funded regional programs and providing loans and technical assistance to the country through the European Investment Bank (EIB) also ceased. Over the last few years, multi-annual programming of EU assistance to Syria has yet to be foreseen

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and architect of the offensive that led the group to seize Homs and then Damascus, the capital city, after severing ties with al-Qaeda in 2016, tried to present himself as a more moderate leader.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, announced in a press conference that the head of the EU delegation to Syria, Michael Ohnmacht, will move to Damascus after having spent years in Beirut due to the dire situation caused by the civil war in Syria. The initiative is a preparatory step to test the level of cooperation the EU can reach with the new leadership.

The utmost priority for Europe is the preservation of the territorial integrity of Syria – a message to Israel and especially Turkey not to take advantage of the crisis to take advantage of territorial disputes – the start of a transition leading to an inclusive government and the right of minorities.

Ministers also exchanged views on Georgia but disagreed on imposing sanctions on those responsible for the brutal repression of rallies in the streets after the government decided to suspend EU accession talks until 2028. Hungary and Slovakia vetoed Kaja Kalla’s proposal. “The EU has set a world record for political hypocrisy’ was the attack by Hungarian Peter Szijjarto, according to whom the move by Brussels was because a ‘conservative, patriotic, peace-oriented party” won in the Caucasian country.

In recent days, some of the Member States have evoked a sanctioning regime directed at members of the government dominated by the Georgian Dream party. Still, several capitals, including Rome, called for caution on this front, given that such an initiative could have precluded any interlocution with Tbilisi. The support of 25 other EU countries on supporting direct sanctions against members of the police and special forces who were guilty of the violent repression was, however, firm. However, ministers managed to reach the qualified majority to suspend the visa-free regime for diplomatic passports.

Ministers supported EU Kallas’ proposal to convene a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council to discuss the impact of Israeli military forces’ action in Gaza on specific human rights-related aspects of the association agreement existing between the parties to promote cooperation on research and innovation. With a view to the dialogue for the pacification of the region, Kallas said during the press conference on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council the EU will immediately propose to the Palestinian Authority to hold a first bilateral high-level dialogue.