EU foreign policy chief: We haven’t seen any steps from the new Syrian authorities that would justify lifting sanctions
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed on Monday that the EU hasn’t observed any positive steps by the new Syrian authorities that would open the door to further easing European sanctions on Syria.
Kallas’s statement came during a press conference held in Luxembourg following a meeting of EU foreign ministers, where she said, “We had an in-depth discussion on the Syrian issue, particularly regarding the possibility of continuing to ease sanctions… So far, we haven’t seen any tangible signs from the new authorities in Damascus… Syria’s future remains fragile, although there is some hope… Member states agreed on the need to carefully assess the sanctions relief process”.
Kallas explained that any further easing of the restrictive measures imposed on Syria would be conditional on the new Syrian regime meeting a number of European demands.
She also revealed that the EU is currently working on specific technical details regarding the requirements that Damascus must meet if it wishes to have the sanctions lifted.
These statements come amid ongoing debate about the future of European relations with Syria following recent political changes, particularly in light of talk of a European roadmap to ease sanctions.
It’s worth noting that the European Union had previously decided, specifically last February, to suspend some of the sanctions imposed on Syria, which targeted vital sectors such as energy, transportation, and banking.
Last January, Kaja Kallas announced that European Union foreign ministers had agreed on a gradual plan to ease sanctions, provided that it was met with a Syrian commitment to concrete reform measures.
