PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron called on the United States and the European Union to lift sanctions against Syria on Wednesday after hosting the Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on his first visit to Europe.
The French leader said Washington should “rush to lift sanctions,” maintain troops in Syria and then review the situation at a later date.
“The interest of all, including of the Americans, is today to act and accompany us in lifting sanctions on the Syrian people,” Macron said at a press conference alongside al-Sharaa.
Al-Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda member, has received a cautious welcome from the international community after his forces toppled brutal Syrian dictator Bashar Assad late last year.
He has vowed to protect minority groups in Syria and to pursue more inclusive policies. But sectarian violence in recent months, including two bloody days in March during which security forces killed hundreds of civilians, has raised fears that al-Sharaa is failing to rein in Syria’s extremist factions. The Syrian leader subsequently vowed to punish those responsible.
In Paris al-Sharaa argued that “elements of the former [Assad] regime took advantage of the situation to rekindle the war … we’ve launched an investigation committee and a reconciliation committee.”
The French president also called on the EU to stand by its decision to suspend sanctions against Syria. In February Brussels lifted restrictions in the areas of energy, transport and banking, but a June deadline for reviewing them is fast approaching.
“Several allied nations have hesitations, we will work toward dispelling those doubts,” Macron said.
Al-Sharaa said that the sanctions on Damascus had been imposed on Assad’s regime and that “nothing justified maintaining them.”
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