Brussels – The European Union has chosen to believe that a new inclusive and democratic Syria can rise from the ashes of Assad’s bloody dictatorship and more than a decade of civil war. It has begun to dismantle the very harsh sanctions regime in place against Damascus, despite the fact that its new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was the head of an Islamist militia recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN, Washington, and Brussels itself. Now, just days after the massacres consumed in the west of the country loyal to Assad, the EU is preparing to host the ninth conference in support of Syria. “There is hope, but the challenges are immense,” admits a senior European official.
Indeed, after an initial phase of great enthusiasm for the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the last few days have shown that the new leadership is certainly not without contradictions. On Friday, fierce clashes broke out between pro-Assad militias and government forces in the Alawite-majority region remaining loyal to the deposed president in the northwest of the country. Fighting and mass executions of civilians have claimed nearly 1,500 lives in one week. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights NGO, at least 973 civilians, mostly Alawites, have been killed “in summary executions and ethnic cleansing operations.”
Acting President al-Sharaa pledged “to prosecute those responsible for the killings of civilians.” And today, at the presidential palace in Damascus, he signed the constitutional declaration that will be enforced during the long five-year transition period, at the end of which the new leadership has pledged to hold elections and draft a new constitution. In signing the document, al-Sharaa hoped it would mark the beginning of “a new history for Syria, where we replace oppression with justice.”
Mixed signals, of violence and democratic openings. Such as the agreement reached with the Kurds of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who have laid down their arms to integrate into the government security forces, the consequences of which, however, are not yet known for the autonomously administered territories of the Kurds in the northeast of the country. “We all know, and we knew from the beginning, that the situation is really fragile. Last weekend’s atrocities have sounded a strong alarm,” admitted a senior EU official. But for a variety of reasons—geopolitical, economic and not least related to the repatriation of Syrian refugees—the EU has so far chosen to accept the contradictions and expose itself in supporting al-Sahraa. The EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, met with the Syrian leader in Damascus on January 17.
In a statement on behalf of the EU, High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks by pro-Assad militias against security forces and “the horrific crimes committed against civilians, including summary executions, many of them allegedly perpetrated by armed groups supporting the security forces of the transitional authorities.” Kallas therefore “welcomed” al-Sahraa’s commitment to launch an investigation, calling for it to be “swift, transparent, and impartial.” The EU diplomacy chief stressed the importance of the agreement with the SDF Kurds and the launch of the national dialogue, which is “crucial to ensure that the transition meets the aspirations of all components of Syrian society.”
Last February 24, member countries decided to suspend sanctions against Syria in some key sectors, such as energy, transport, and banking. A “gradual and reversible” suspension, Kallas reminded, while clarifying that “the EU will continue to examine possible further suspension of sanctions based on close monitoring of the situation in the country.” EU sources admitted that it is “still too early” to say whether the sanctions stop has made any difference in economic vitality. “There is interest” from companies from Europe, Turkey, and Arab countries, for example, in the construction sector. Still, until Syria is readmitted to the SWIFT international payments system it will remain “virtually impossible to make a payment.”
MEPs also joined the call to “seize this historic opportunity to support a Syrian-led political transition to unite and rebuild the country,” encouraging the EU and member states, in a resolution approved by an overwhelming majority in Strasbourg yesterday, to help the Syrian authorities rebuild the country. The EU Parliament suggested considering using the Assad regime’s frozen assets on EU territory to fund reconstruction, rehabilitation and compensation for victims.
Against this backdrop, the ninth Conference on Syria will be held on Monday, March 17, in Brussels, a few months earlier than usual precisely because of the urgency of laying a solid foundation for the new Syria before it sinks back into chaos. The goal is to “mobilise international support for a peaceful and inclusive transition and generate commitments for humanitarian and non-humanitarian assistance.” Since last year’s conference, commitments of €7.5 billion had been raised, half of which—3.8 billion—had come from the EU and member countries. This year, EU sources confirm that the foreign minister of the transitional government in Damascus will also be present.
Now that reconstruction is discussed, more is needed. The country that has been cut off from everything for almost 15 years, where the rate of destruction is enormous, unemployment is around 80 per cent, and energy infrastructure and water supply are very poor. One problem, says a senior EU official, is that the humanitarian aid system has been based, until now, “on two pillars”: the EU and member countries and the United States. And the latter, since Trump arrived in the White House, “has been cut a lot, if not suspended.” The same sources let it be known that Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, will not attend the conference. However, the Under Secretary of State for the region is expected to represent Washington.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
