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The EU sends a diplomat to talk to Syria's new leaders

2024-12-16 09:25:00, Kosova & Bota CNA
The EU sends a diplomat to talk to Syria's new leaders
The head of EU foreign policy, Kaja Kallas

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that the bloc's Syria envoy would travel to Damascus for talks with Syria's new leaders as Western powers step up engagement after the ouster of Bashar al- Assad.

The move by Brussels comes after the United States and Great Britain said they had contacted the new authorities in Damascus, led by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Regional and international powers have begun contacts with Syria's new leaders after an offensive toppled Assad, ending five decades of his family's rule.

"Our top diplomat for Syria will go to Damascus today. We will make contacts there", Kallas told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

EU countries — like other countries in the West — have been cautious in their statements towards the new leadership in Damascus, given that HTS had roots in al-Qaeda and is listed as a terrorist group by a number govern.

The EU cut ties with the Assad regime in Damascus during the country's civil war, but has continued to send humanitarian aid to help local populations.

Kallas said that EU foreign ministers in Brussels will discuss "how to engage with the new leadership of Syria and at what level to engage".

"We cannot leave a vacuum," said Kallas, who took over as the EU's top diplomat this month.

International actors have expressed cautious optimism as the new authorities in Damascus have pledged to protect minorities and form an inclusive government.

Diplomats say some EU member states are pushing to boost ties with Syria after Assad's ouster, while others are more skeptical.

"For us, it's not just words, but we want to see actions that go in the right direction. So, not only what they are saying, but also what they are doing," said Kallas.

"I think the next few weeks and months will tell if things are going in the right direction. And I think then we will be open to discuss the next steps", she added./REL





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