Foreign nations have ramped up efforts to determine diplomatic contact with the brand new Syrian authorities, with the EU being the newest to verify that it’ll ship a delegation to Damascus.
The outreach from Brussels on Monday comes after the United States and Britain stated that they had made contact with the brand new authorities in Damascus, spearheaded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Regional and worldwide powers are jostling for affect in Syria after Assad was toppled in a lightning offensive, ending 5 many years of his household’s rule.
“Our top diplomat in Syria will go to Damascus today. We’ll have the contacts there,” Kallas informed journalists forward of a gathering of EU international ministers.
EU nations – like others within the West – have some considerations over the brand new management in Damascus, over non secular ideologies.
The EU reduce ties with the Assad regime in Damascus through the nation’s civil conflict however has remained a significant donor of humanitarian assist to assist native populations.
Kallas stated EU international ministers in Brussels would talk about “how we engage with the new leadership of Syria, and on what level we engage.”
“We can’t leave a vacuum,” Kallas, who took over because the EU’s high diplomat this month, stated.
International gamers have expressed cautious optimism because the nascent Salvation Government in Damascus has vowed to guard minorities and kind an inclusive authorities.
Diplomats say some EU member states are pushing to step up ties with Syria after Assad’s ouster, whereas others are extra cautious.
“For us, it’s not only the words, but we want to see the deeds going to the right direction. So not only what they are saying, but also what they are doing,” Kallas stated.
“I think the coming weeks and months will show whether it goes to the right direction. And I think then we are also open to discuss next steps,” she stated.
UN envoy arrives
Earlier Sunday, the United Nations particular envoy for Syria was amongst these arriving in Damascus, the place he pressed for “justice and accountability for crimes.”
“And we need to make sure that that goes through a credible justice system, and that we don’t see any revenge,” Geir Pedersen stated.
He later met HTS chief Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the group’s Telegram channel stated.
A Qatari delegation additionally landed in Syria to satisfy transitional authorities officers.
They reaffirmed the Gulf emirate’s “full commitment to supporting the Syrian people … following the success of their revolution,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman informed the emirate’s official news company.
Qatar’s embassy is about to renew operations Tuesday, 13 years after it closed within the early phases of the anti-government rebellion that was years of civil conflict.
Unlike different Arab nations, Qatar by no means restored ties with Assad’s Syria.
Aid, diplomacy
Meanwhile, Türkiye, a significant participant in Syria’s battle, with appreciable sway within the northwest, reopened its Damascus embassy on Saturday after 12 years.
Britain’s international minister stated London had established diplomatic contact with the HTS.
They stay “a proscribed terrorist organization, but we can have diplomatic contact and so we do have diplomatic contact,” stated David Lammy who additionally introduced an assist bundle for Syrians.
Washington’s high diplomat Antony Blinken stated his nation has additionally made “direct contact” with the HTS.
A French diplomatic workforce is due in Damascus on Tuesday to “retake possession of our real estate” in addition to “establishing initial contact” with the brand new authorities, stated appearing Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
They would even be “evaluating the urgent needs of the population,” he added.
Russia, which propped up the Assad regime, stated it had evacuated a few of its diplomatic workers from Syria Sunday, “by a special flight of the Russian Air Force from the Hmeimim airbase” in Syria.
Source: www.dailysabah.com