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France says EU will lift some sanctions against Syria

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  • January 28, 2025 at 5:29 am #15926

    Lisa Love
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    France says EU will lift some sanctions against Syria

    French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters on Monday that the European Union is lifting some sanctions against Syria, as top EU diplomats met in Brussels to discuss a coordinated approach to sanctions relief for the war-torn country. Barrot added that France would also propose sanctions against Iranian officials responsible for the detention of French citizens in Iran.

    The European Union is lifting some sanctions against Syria, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Monday, adding that France would also propose sanctions against Iranian officials responsible for the detention of French citizens in Iran.

    The bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected EU members to agree to a “step-for-step approach” to sanctions relief for Syria.

    Europe is keen to help the reconstruction of the war-ravaged country and build bridges with its new leadership after the end of the Assad family’s five-decade rule.

    But some EU countries worry about moving too fast to embrace the new Islamist-led rulers in Damascus.

    The 27-nation EU imposed wide-ranging sanctions on the Assad government and Syria’s economy during its civil war.

    Brussels says it is now willing to ease sanctions on the expectation the new authorities make good on commitments to form an inclusive transition.

    “If they are doing the right steps, then we are willing to do the steps on our behalf as well,” Kallas said.

    France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the EU could start by suspending sanctions on the energy, transport and banking sectors.

    Diplomats say the EU will only suspend the sanctions and not lift them definitively to maintain leverage over the Syrian leadership.

    Syria’s new de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the Islamist group he led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, remain under EU sanctions.

    Diplomats said there was still no discussion about lifting those designations, as with others on the Assad regime.

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