Syria has welcomed the US President Donald Trump’s remarks regarding the possibility of reliving sanctions on Syria as the new government seeks to reshape its international status after a decade of civil war, AFP reported.
Trump’s Remarks
“We are going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start,” Mr Trump told journalists at the White House.
These remarks came ahead of his scheduled Gulf tour and the first official visit abroad of his second presidency.
“Encouraging Step”
Syria described this move as “an encouraging step towards alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people,” according to the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
“The Syrian people aspire to a full lifting of these sanctions, as part of broader measures that support peace and prosperity in both Syria and the region,” it added.
The Syrian government has been seeking to strengthen ties with European countries and the US for the sake of lifting sanctions.
However, Trump’s administration has not officially recognized Syria’s government, led by President Ahmad Al Sharaa.
UK Lifts Sanctions
Last month, the British government lifted sanctions on Syria’s interior and defense ministries marking the latest easing of sanctions following Assad’s fall from power.
Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate, Air Force Intelligence Agency and National Security Bureau were also emitted from the list of entities subject to financial sanctions by the U.K, according to Reuters.
Such sanctions were primarily due to the repression of civilian population or “supporting or benefiting from the Syrian regime.”
In this regard, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa stated that lifting sanctions would prevent another civil war in Syria.
“Any chaos in Syria will damage not just neighboring countries but the whole world,” Al-Sharaa said.
New Chapter with South Korea
In a remarkable milestone in the Syrian foreign policy, Syria and South Korea has recently unfolded a new chapter of diplomatic relations, according to Arab News. A high-level delegation from South Korea has visited Syria and held several meetings with Senior officials in Syria. The Korean delegation met with Syria’s President Al-Sharaa at the People’s Palace in the Syrian capital.
During the visit, Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad Al-Shaibani signed an agreement with his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, in Damascus to establish diplomatic ties between both countries.
The new agreement would unleash new horizons of cooperation between Syria and Korea, open embassies and exchange diplomatic missions between both countries.
Importantly, this cooperation seeks to restore Syria’s international standing that has collapsed because of the policies of the former Assad regime.
Related Topics:
LIVE: President Trump Begins Gulf Tour with Visit to Saudi Arabia
Video: Saudi Crown Prince Receives Trump in Riyadh
No Decentralization: Syria Warns Kurds against Delay in Integrating into State
