Germany Leads EU Talks on Lifting Sanctions on Syria’s New Rulers
Germany is actively discussing the possibility of lifting sanctions on Syria’s new leaders in certain areas, a government official said on Tuesday. The official, who was not named, stated that the country is in talks with the European Union to ease sanctions on the Syrian population in specific sectors.
However, a unanimous EU decision is required to lift the sanctions, and the German Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the matter to Reuters.
The development comes after German officials, in documents sent to Brussels before Christmas, first raised the idea of easing sanctions on Syria.
The United States recently introduced a six-month exception for transactions with some government entities to “facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid, alleviate energy shortages in Syria, and enable personal remittances.” The EU, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other governments imposed strict sanctions on Syria after President Bashar al-Assad’s regime cracked down on armed rebels and Islamist groups in the Syrian conflict.
In a surprise offensive, Islamist groups, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), overthrew President Assad on December 8. The HTS, which has reportedly severed ties with Al-Qaeda, has established a transitional government in Syria, but is still listed as a terrorist organization by the United Nations and the United States.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, representing the EU, visited Syria on Friday and met with the HTS leader and former Al-Qaeda chief, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Muhammad al-Jaulani.
“We know where the HTS ideologically comes from, what it has done in the past” Baerbock said during her meeting with the Islamists on Friday. “But we also see the desire for moderation and understanding with other key players.” The unclear aspect is what exactly the West means by the moderation of former Al-Qaeda fighters.