EU's Kallas hopes for political agreement on easing Syria sanctions
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has said that she hopes a political agreement on easing Syria sanctions can be reached at a gathering of European ministers next week.
EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Syria during a meeting in Brussels on January 27, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.
European officials began rethinking their approach towards Syria after Bashar al-Assad was ousted as president by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which the United Nations designates as a terrorist group.
Some European capitals want to move quickly to suspend economic sanctions in a signal of support for the transition in Damascus. Others have sought to ensure that even if some sanctions are eased, Brussels retains leverage in its relationship with the new Syrian authorities.
“We are ready to do step-for-step approach and also to discuss what is the fallback position. If we see that the developments are going to the wrong direction, then we are also willing to put them back,” Kallas told Reuters in an interview.
Six EU member states called this month for the bloc to temporarily suspend sanctions on Syria in areas such as transport, energy and banking.
Current EU sanctions include a ban on Syrian oil imports and a freeze on any Syrian central bank assets in Europe.
By Khagan Isayev