Italian foreign minister meets with new Syrian rulers, calls for talks on sanctions | Syrian war news
Antonio Tajani says that Italy wants to serve as a bridge between Damascus and the European Union.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke with the new Syrian rulers and called for talks on easing European Union sanctions imposed on the previous government of Bashar al-Assad.
Tajani met with Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Friday, saying sanctions imposed after al-Assad’s crackdown on anti-government protests that started the country’s 13-year civil war “must absolutely not affect the Syrian population.”
“They were imposed because there was a different regime. It is important to open discussions about the changed situation,” he said, referring to last month’s meeting opposition takeover of the country, led by the armed group al-Sharaa Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which brought al-Assad’s rule to an abrupt end.
Tajani said Italy wants to help Syria recover from its civil war and rebuild its devastated economy, serving as a bridge between Damascus and the EU.
“The Mediterranean can no longer be just a sea of death, a graveyard of migrants, but a sea of trade, a sea of development,” he said.
Al Jazeera journalist Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Damascus, said the meeting with al-Shara was “quite significant”.
“[It] it gives you the sense that the international community recognizes the fact that this new administration is the new reality and that they would like to do business with it.”
‘Tangible progress’ is needed
Tajani arrived in Damascus after hosting talks in Rome on Thursday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and officials from the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
He said that the so-called meeting Quinte on Syria was key to the start of the discussion on changing EU sanctions.
Kallas said earlier Friday that the 27-nation bloc could begin lifting sanctions if Syria’s new rulers take steps to form an inclusive government that protects minorities.
“The EU could gradually ease sanctions provided there is tangible progress,” Kallas wrote on X.
Tajani also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Damascus Asaad Hassan al-Shaibaniwho announced that he will soon embark on his first official tour of Europe.
Al-Shaibani has already visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan since the beginning of the month.
Al-Shaibani said he welcomed Tajani’s focus on sanctions.
“We share his opinion that the reasons for imposing them no longer exist and that they could be an obstacle to encouraging the return of refugees from outside Syria,” he said.
More than half a million people have been killed in the war in Syria, which has also devastated the economy and forced millions to flee their homes, including in Europe.
