EU decides against Syria at the end of the economic sanctions

Around six months after the fall of long-term rulers Bashar al-Assad, the foreign ministers of the EU countries decided to fully abolish economic sanctions against Syria. This was announced by EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas in Brussels.

The German Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul said that the new Syrian leadership was given a chance, but expect a policy that includes all population groups and religious groups. It is important that there is a united Syria that can take its future in your own hands.

Weapons embargo remains

According to the agreed procedure, only sanctions against persons and organizations who have connections to the Assad regime or responsibility for the violent suppression of the Syrian people should be retained, as well as for human rights violations. In addition, export restrictions for weapons as well as goods and technologies that are used for internal repression also remain in force. This also includes listening and monitoring software.

EU hopes for fewer refugees

The EU countries had already gradually loosened sanctions in February to support rapid economic recovery as well as the reconstruction and stabilization of the country. Measures in the energy, transport and banking sector were initially suspended until June. Among other things, far -reaching restrictions for the central bank initially remained.

With the procedure, the EU joins the course of the new US President Donald Trump. This had already announced the cancellation of all US sanctions last week. The EU also has the hope that, after stabilizing the country, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees will one day return to their homeland in the EU. Syrians had identified a large part of the refugees arriving in the EU for many years.

Expenses to violence overshade hopes

The EU explained that the sanctions are abolished, regardless of the recent outbreaks between different population groups in Syria, with a lack of alternatives. There are further doubts as to whether the government is in the right direction, said EU chief diplomatin Kaja Kallas. In their view, however, there is no choice. The country must be enabled to stabilize to avoid development as in Afghanistan.

Most recently, there had been violent struggles in Syria between members of the Drusian minority and Sunni militias. Already in March there were bloody denominational struggles between government troops of the new rulers and assad-loyal militias in the western coastal region of Syria.

Experts also see sanctions from western states as a prevention against the influence of third parties. Persistent sanctions would continue to make the country dependent on former Assad allies such as Iran and Russia. « This would open again extremism, regional instability and the resuscitation of the Islamic State, » analyzes the Atlantic Council, for example.