ROME — Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced plans to visit Syria on Friday, aiming to support the country’s transition following the recent removal of President Bashar Assad by Islamist forces. He also commented on the need for Europe to reevaluate its sanctions against Damascus, considering the evolving political landscape.
Tajani held a meeting in Rome on Thursday with foreign ministry officials from five nations: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States. Prior to the meeting, he communicated with officials from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The objective, he noted, is to synchronize various initiatives aimed at Syria’s post-Assad era, with Italy ready to propose private investments in healthcare to benefit the Syrian populace.
During discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and European counterparts, Tajani emphasized the necessity of acknowledging equal rights for all Syrians. His remarks addressed growing concerns regarding the treatment of Christians and other minority groups under the newly established authorities of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an organization classified as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and the United Nations.
“The early messages we are receiving from Damascus are encouraging. This is why my visit is crucial — to promote this new phase that can contribute to stabilizing the international context,” Tajani stated.
He conveyed to reporters that the European Union should consider potential modifications to its sanctions against Syria, as the political environment has shifted with Assad’s departure. “This is a discussion worth having because Assad is no longer in power. The new circumstances present fresh opportunities that should be actively supported,” he remarked.
For many years, Syria has faced severe sanctions imposed by the U.S., the European Union, and other nations due to Assad’s harsh crackdown on peaceful protests that erupted in 2011, escalating into a devastating civil war.
HTS orchestrated a swift insurgency that resulted in Assad’s ouster on December 8, effectively ending his family’s prolonged rule. From 2011 to the time of Assad’s removal, the civil war claimed an estimated 500,000 lives in Syria.
Following Assad’s flight to Russia for protection, the U.S. has gradually eased certain sanctions. The Biden administration recently decided to rescind a $10 million bounty that had been placed on the head of a Syrian rebel leader whose forces were instrumental in overthrowing Assad last month.
With the emergence of new leadership in Syria, there have been calls for respect for the rights of minorities and women. Many Syrian Christians, who constituted about 10% of the pre-war population, either escaped the violence or chose to support Assad out of fear of Islamist groups gaining power.
