European Union foreign ministers will meet in Brussels at the end of the month to discuss the possibility of lifting sanctions against Syria. This was announced by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaia Kallas, BTA reports.
“We are working hard to be ready to take a decision on the issue by then,“ Kallas told journalists on her way to the conference on Syria, held in Riyadh.
The EU sanctions against Syria were imposed in response to the long-standing conflict in the country and human rights violations by the Bashar Assad regime. These include economic restrictions, travel bans on certain individuals and asset freezes.
Diplomatic efforts around the situation in Syria are intensifying in light of the international conference in Riyadh. The topic of sanctions is expected to be a leading topic in EU discussions, as well as in the broader context of efforts to achieve stability in the region.
The potential lifting of sanctions could have wide-ranging consequences for both the Syrian government and EU-Syrian relations. The decision could help alleviate the humanitarian situation, but it is debatable whether it will lead to significant progress in political and democratic reforms in the country.