Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (right) stands in an Air Force A400M before departure to Damascus. © Jörg Blank
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Four weeks after the fall of the ruler Assad, the German Foreign Minister and her French colleague want to send a signal in Damascus. They come with offers, but also with demands.
After almost 14 years of civil war, Syria is largely destroyed and contaminated by landmines and other weapons. The country lacks workers and skilled workers, the economy is shrinking and the currency has lost more than 90 percent of its value since 2020. The provision of public services has collapsed. More than 16 million people are dependent on humanitarian aid.
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Foreign MinisterAnnalena Baerbock sets conditions for the new de facto rulers in Syria to restart relations with Germany and the European Union. “A new political beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria is possible,” said the Green politician on an unannounced visit to Damascus. She is coming to the Syrian capital with her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot and on behalf of the EU “with this outstretched hand, but also with clear expectations of the new rulers.”
About four weeks after the fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad Baerbock and Barrot want to hold talks with representatives of the transitional government formed by rebels on behalf of the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. De facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa is the leader of the Islamist rebel group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and was previously known by his battle name Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.
The Foreign Minister wanted to fly from Cyprus to Damascus in the morning . Barrot had celebrated the New Year with Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu in nearby Lebanon with the French soldiers of the UN observer mission UNIFIL stationed there. Baerbock and Barrot are the first EU foreign ministers to visit Syria since Assad’s fall.
Baerbock calls for protection of women and minorities
“The new beginning can only happen if the new Syrian society gives all Syrians, women and men, regardless of their ethnic or religious group, a place in the political process, grants rights and offers protection,” demanded Baerbock. These rights must be protected and must not be “possibly undermined by excessively long deadlines before elections or steps towards the Islamization of the justice or education system.”
Al-Sharaa recently said that it could take around three years before a new draft constitution is presented and another year before elections. The Arab country is fragmented and sectarian after more than ten years of civil war. Even after the fall of Assad, rival militias are fighting for power.
Baerbock said they wanted to support Syria in a peaceful transfer of power, the reconciliation of society and reconstruction – in addition to the humanitarian aid that has been provided to the people of Syria in recent years.
Baerbock said that a new beginning could only be possible if the past was dealt with and justice was established, and if acts of revenge against population groups were avoided. Extremism and radical groups should have no place.
Skepticism about the rebels’ past
“We know where HTS comes from ideologically, what it has done in the past,” said Baerbock. But one also sees the desire for moderation and understanding with other important actors. The start of talks with the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is an important sign in this direction.
HTS emerged from the Al-Nusra Front, an offshoot of the terrorist network Al-Qaeda. Al-Sharaa had distanced itself from Al-Qaeda and the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS). To this day, however, there are reports that the HTS leadership maintains contact with Al-Qaeda.
Baerbock: Will judge HTS by their actions
In view of this, Baerbock said: “We will continue to judge HTS by its actions. Despite all our scepticism, we must not let the opportunity to support the people of Syria at this important crossroads slip away.”
Germany is also committed to ensuring that the internal Syrian process is not disrupted from outside, explained the Federal Foreign Minister. This also includes respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all neighboring states, she added, obviously with a view to Turkey and Israel, which are accused of pursuing their own interests in Syria. It is also time for Russia to leave its military bases in Syria. Moscow was one of Assad’s most important allies for years.
More than 16 million Syrians depend on humanitarian aid
After almost 14 years of civil war, Syria is largely destroyed and contaminated by landmines and other weapons. The country lacks workers and skilled workers, the economy is shrinking and the currency has lost more than 90 percent of its value since 2020. The provision of public services has collapsed. More than 16 million people are dependent on humanitarian aid.
Almost a million Syrian refugees in Germany
Baerbock’s talks in Damascus are also likely to focus on the return of Syrian refugees from Germany, which is being advocated by the transitional government. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, around 975,000 Syrians currently live in Germany. Most of them have come to the country since 2015 as a result of the civil war.
AFP (Edited AP)
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