ROME — On Friday, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is set to visit Syria to promote the country’s political evolution following the removal of President Bashar Assad by Islamist forces. He is advocating for Europe to reconsider its sanctions against Damascus in light of the altered political landscape.
Tajani chaired a meeting in Rome on Thursday with officials from the foreign ministries of five nations: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States. Prior to this, he held discussions via telephone with his counterparts in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
The goal, according to Tajani, is to align various initiatives aimed at supporting Syria in the post-Assad era, with Italy willing to propose investments in healthcare aimed at helping the Syrian populace.
In his discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and European counterparts, Tajani emphasized the necessity of ensuring equal rights for all Syrians. This remark is particularly relevant given the apprehension regarding the rights of Christians and other minority groups under the newly established de facto authorities of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamic militant organization that has been designated as a terrorist entity by both the U.S. and the United Nations.
“The initial responses from Damascus have been encouraging,” Tajani stated. “That is why I am visiting tomorrow, to promote this new chapter that can contribute to stabilizing the broader international context.”
When addressing the media, he urged that the European Union convene to reconsider its stance on sanctions relating to Syria. “This is a matter that warrants discussion since Assad is no longer in power. Given the new circumstances, I believe it’s important to support the positive indications we are observing,” he added.
Syria has faced stringent sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, and various other countries for years, a reaction to Assad’s violent crackdown on what began as peaceful protests against his government in 2011, which ultimately escalated into a brutal civil conflict.
HTS executed a rapid uprising that resulted in the ousting of Assad on December 8, marking the end of his family’s long-standing governance. Since the onset of the uprising and war, it is estimated that around 500,000 people have lost their lives.
In response to these developments, the U.S. has gradually eased some sanctions, especially after Assad found refuge in Russia. Last December, the Biden administration canceled a $10 million reward that had been offered for the capture of a Syrian rebel leader whose forces played a key role in bringing down Assad.
Syria’s new governing bodies have also been encouraged to honor and uphold the rights of minorities and women. Throughout the conflict, many Syrian Christians, who represented about 10% of the pre-war population, either chose to leave the country or opted to support Assad to escape potential threats from Islamist militants.
