Removing sanctions “key” for stability – Syria FM

Syria’s top diplomat, Asaad al-Shaibani, said on January 22nd that removing the economic sanctions that were imposed on Syria under the former Bashar al-Assad regime was “key” to bringing back stability in the devastated country, The New Arab and agencies reported.
Syria’s new authorities have been trying to persuade western nations to lift the sanctions that were put in place to target Assad’s government, in response to the regime’s brutal repression of anti-government protests in Syria, which eventually led to the civil war.
In a conversation with the UK’s former prime minister, Tony Blair, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the foreign minister al-Shaibani said that, “removing economic sanctions is the key for the stability of Syria.”
Al-Shaibani added that the sanctions were once enforced for the benefit of Syrians, but are now “against the Syrian people.”
Al-Shaibani emphasised also said that “the Syrian people shouldn’t be punished” by measures that applied to the former ruler, referring to Bashar al-Assad.
However, foreign nations, including the US, have been apprehensive about lifting the sanctions off Syria, and are waiting to see how Syria’s new government uses its power before easing restrictions.
During the meeting in Davos, Al-Shaibani affirmed that Syria would not be “a threat for any country in the world.”
Al-Shaibani also said: “We inherited a collapsed state from the Assad regime, there is no economic system.”
He added: “The economy in the future will be open.”
Syria’s new authorities will invest their energy on five sectors to rebuild their nation: energy, telecoms, roads and airports, education and health, al-Shaibani said.
Syria will also “explore public-private partnerships to encourage investment into airports, railways and roads,” according to Al-Shaibani’s interview with the Financial Times.
On January 6th, The US said that it would provide limited sanctions relief on some activities in Syria for a six-month period, in order to aid accessibility to basic services.
The EU’s leading diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said that the bloc could begin removing sanctions if Syria’s new government makes the effort to form an inclusive government that safeguards minority groups.
EU foreign ministers are set to discuss proposals to relax certain measures at a meeting on January 27th in Brussels.
The New Arab and Agencies