EU sending envoy to speak to new Syrian government in Damascus

THE EU’S FOREIGN policy chief Kaja Kallas has confirmed that the bloc’s envoy to Syria is travelling to Damascus today to hold talks with the country’s new government, led by the victorious Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels.

The outreach from Brussels comes after the United States and Britain said they had made contact with the new authorities in the Syrian capital.

Regional and international powers are jostling for influence in Syria after Bashar al-Assad was toppled in a lightning offensive, ending five decades of his family’s rule.

“Our top diplomat in Syria will go to Damascus today. We’ll have the contacts there,” Kallas told journalists ahead of a meeting of the EU’s foreign ministers.

EU nations – like others in the West – are wary of the new leadership in Syria, given that HTS had its roots in Al-Qaeda and is listed as a terror group by a number of governments.

The EU cut ties with the Assad regime in Damascus during the country’s civil war, but has remained a major donor of humanitarian aid to help local populations.

Kallas said EU foreign ministers in Brussels would discuss “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 as the EU’s top diplomat this month, said.

International players have expressed cautious optimism as the nascent authorities in Damascus have vowed to protect minorities and form an inclusive government.

Diplomats say some EU member states are pushing to step up ties with Syria after Assad’s ouster, while others are more 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 said.

“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 said.

‘Credible and inclusive’

The United Nations (UN) envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, told HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani Syria must have a “credible and inclusive” transition, according to a statement.

Pedersen also met interim prime minister Mohammad al-Bashir, and underlined “the intention of the United Nations to render all assistance to the Syrian people”.

A Qatari delegation is also in Syria to meet transitional government officials and pledge “full commitment to supporting the Syrian people”.

Qatar’s embassy is set to resume operations Tuesday, 13 years after closing in the early stages of the anti-Assad uprising.

Turkey, a key backer of some of the rebel groups that ousted Assad, reopened its embassy in Damascus on Saturday.

Both Britain and the United States also confirmed they were in touch with HTS, despite officially considering the organisation a “terrorist” group.

“We can have diplomatic contact and so we do have diplomatic contact,” British Foreign Minister David Lammy said as he announced an aid package for Syrians.

A French diplomatic team is also due in Damascus on Tuesday to “retake possession of our real estate” and make “initial contact” with the new authorities, acting Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.

They will also be “evaluating the urgent needs of the population”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country was coordinating on providing aid including wheat, flour and oil to Syria.

Tánaiste

The meeting of EU foreign ministers will also discuss the respective wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as Georgia, Belarus, the International Criminal Court, Armenia, the OECD, and the Western Balkans.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said the situation in the Middle East remains “deeply troubling”.

“While the fall of the Assad regime is welcome, the situation in Syria remains volatile, fluid and difficult to predict. I will be supporting calls for a peaceful and orderly transition and a better future for all Syrians,” he said.

“The ceasefire in Lebanon is fragile and both sides need to keep their commitments. While these developments require our urgent attention, they cannot be allowed to distract from the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

He said he will be again calling for an immediate ceasefire, release of hostages, and a massive scale-up of humanitarian aid into Gaza. “We must also remain focused on the situation in the West Bank and on the need for a political pathway that can deliver lasting peace,” he added.

On Ukraine, Martin said the discussion comes at a crucial moment “as Kyiv faces escalating Russian aggression on the battlefield and relentless and devastating attacks on its infrastructure”.

“The targeting of civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, is deplorable, cynical and brutal. I look forward to hearing from Foreign Minister Sybiha regarding the situation on the ground and how best the EU can continue its support for the Ukrainian people.”

With reporting from © AFP 2024