Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The United States has submitted a list of conditions to Syria, stipulating their implementation in exchange for a partial lifting of sanctions, according to Reuters. The American conditions address sensitive issues such as foreign fighters in Syria and cooperation in combating terrorism. All eyes are on the new Syrian administration and its ability to implement the American conditions.
After the conclusion of the donors' conference for Syria in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on March 18, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani not only returned to Syria with the conference's outcomes, but also apparently brought with him a list of conditions that the administration of US President Donald Trump is demanding Syria implement in exchange for a partial easing of US sanctions. According to what was published by the European news network Euronews in Brussels,
According to what Reuters reported from six diplomatic sources between Washington, Damascus, and the region, the American conditions revolved around several issues, most notably ensuring that foreign fighters do not assume leadership positions in the ruling administration in Syria. The American list also includes the destruction of any "remaining chemical weapons stores in Syria" and "cooperation in combating terrorism."
The new Syrian officials are demanding the unconditional lifting of all sanctions on Syria, whether American or European. However, these demands are being rejected, despite the openness of several European governments to communicate with the institutions of the new Syrian administration. The Caesar Act is one of the most prominent US sanctions projects against Syria. It was initially imposed on the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad, who fell on December 8, 2024, after the forces of Operation Deterrence of Aggression took control of Damascus.
The US conditions also include the appointment of a liaison coordinator to support US efforts to locate Austin Tice, the American journalist who has been missing in Syria for more than 10 years.
While Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa's acceptance of the last US condition appears very likely, especially since he previously met with Tice's mother in Damascus, meeting some of the other conditions appears to be a complex matter for the new Syrian government.
Mohammad al-Abdallah, the executive director of the Washington-based Syrian Justice and Accountability Center, described the US conditions as "difficult and harsh." In an interview with Euronews, Abdullah expressed his belief that "the condition related to foreign fighters is the most difficult for Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, because these fighters constitute a fundamental element of his authority and power." He considered this issue to be "controversial and difficult to address."
Last February, al-Sharaa appointed a number of foreign military commanders to leadership positions within the Ministry of Defense, most notably the leadership of the Republican Guard, which was assigned to Jordanian Abdul Rahman al-Khatib, a prominent former military leader in Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham. Turkish Omar Muhammad Ciftci, known as "Mukhtar al-Turki," was also appointed as head of the Damascus Military Division.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said last Friday that the United States is monitoring the actions of Syrian leaders on a number of issues "as we determine and consider future U.S. policy toward Syria." In contrast to the European approach to dealing with the new Syrian government based on a step-by-step approach, the United States is dealing with the Sharaa government based on its commitment to implement all of its conditions in exchange for a partial lifting of sanctions, without specifying a timetable for their implementation.
While Al-Abdullah did not rule out the possibility of the Sharaa government committing to cooperation against terrorism, "which would entail a US designation of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations," he predicted that Sharaa's failure to implement the US conditions would have severe consequences.
The US has many options vis-à-vis Syria, the most prominent of which, according to Al-Abdullah, are "continuing the economic blockade and suspending the license to deal with the new Syrian government." He also listed other issues, such as reopening the human rights file, especially after "the major violations witnessed on the Syrian coast." He also highlighted two key issues: the first is "continuing to remain silent on Israeli movements in southern Syria," while the second is not withdrawing from northeastern Syria and influencing the Syrian Democratic Forces "to renege on the agreement concluded by their commander with Sharaa in Damascus." Last January, the US Treasury issued a general license for six months, allowing transactions with the Syrian government in certain energy transactions and personal financial transfers. However, this step did not amount to normal, expanded cooperation between countries.
Al-Abdullah concluded that "it is dangerous to engage with an administration headed by Trump and his team, especially the Director of Intelligence."
Yesterday, Tuesday, UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen stated in a briefing to the UN Security Council that Syria stands at a crossroads: "Either it returns to a cycle of violence and instability, or it embarks on a comprehensive political transition that restores the Syrian people's sovereignty and fulfills their legitimate aspirations."
The new Syrian president is facing his first such interaction with the United States, amid numerous crises facing his rule, both economically and politically at home, and with little prospect of capitalizing on the external opening to him, most notably the ongoing US sanctions on Damascus.