German Foreign Minister Baerbock travels to Syria to meet new leaders

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is travelling to the Syrian capital Damascus on Friday on an unannounced visit, is setting conditions for Syria’s new de facto rulers for a resumption of relations with Germany and the European Union.

“A political new beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible,” the Green Party politician said about her visit to Damascus.

She said she was arriving 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.”

Some four weeks after the overthrow of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad, Baerbock and Barrot are the first EU foreign ministers to visit Syria since al-Assad’s overthrow. They, on behalf of the EU’s foreign representative Kaja Kallas, plan to hold talks with representatives of the rebel-formed transitional government.

De facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa heads the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and was previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Joulani.

Baerbock is flying to Damascus from Cyprus on Friday morning. Barrot had celebrated the New Year with Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu and the French troops stationed with the UN observer mission UNIFIL in nearby Lebanon.

Baerbock demands protection for women, minorities

“A new beginning can only happen if the new Syrian society grants a place in the political process to all Syrians, women and men, of every ethnic or religious group, and provides rights and protection,” Baerbock demanded.

She added that these rights must be preserved and must “not be undermined potentially by overly long deadlines until elections or moves towards the Islamisation of the judicial or education systems.”

Al-Sharaa recently stated that it could take around three years to present a new draft constitution, and another year until elections. The Arab country remains fragmented and sectarianly divided after more than a decade of civil war. Even after Assad’s fall, hostile militias are fighting for power.

Baerbock said they wanted to support Syria in a peaceful transition of power, the reconciliation of society, and reconstruction – in addition to the humanitarian aid that has been provided for the people in Syria over the past years.

“A new beginning can only happen if the past is addressed, justice is established, and retaliatory acts against population groups do not occur,” Baerbock insisted. She added that extremism and radical groups should have no place.

Scepticism over the rebels’ past

“We know where the HTS ideologically comes from, what they have done in the past,” Baerbock stated. But she said there is also a desire for moderation and understanding with other key players. The initiation of talks with the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a significant sign in this direction, she noted.

HTS emerged from the al-Nusra Front, an offshoot of the terrorist network al-Qaeda. Al-Sharaa had disassociated from al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, considered a terrorist organizations by many Western countries. However, there are still reports suggesting that the HTS leadership maintains contact with al-Qaeda.

Baerbock: We will judge HTS by their actions

Given this, Baerbock stated, “We will continue to judge the HTS by their actions. Despite all scepticism, we must not miss the opportunity now to support the people in Syria at this crucial crossroads.”

Germany is also working to ensure that the intra-Syrian process is not disrupted from outside, the foreign minister explained.

This, she noted, includes respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity by all neighbouring states. Though she did not mention Turkey and Israel by name, those countries have been accused of pursuing their own interests in Syria.

Additionally, it is time for Russia to leave its military bases in Syria, she said. Moscow has been one of al-Assad’s most important allies for years.

More than 16 million Syrians rely on humanitarian aid

Syria has been largely destroyed after nearly 14 years of civil war and is contaminated with landmines and other ordnance.

The country lacks labour and skilled workers, the economy is contracting, and the currency has lost more than 90% of its value since 2020. Public services have collapsed. More than 16 million people rely on humanitarian aid.

Nearly 1 million Syrians in Germany

In Baerbock’s discussions in Damascus, the potential return of Syrian refugees from Germany, as supported by the transitional Syrian government, is likely to be a topic.

Around 975,000 Syrians currently live in Germany, according to the German Interior Ministry. Most arrived in the country since 2015 as a result of the civil war.

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