The US yesterday described the formation of the new Syrian government as a “positive step“, but said that it will not ease sanctions until it sees progress on priorities such as the fight against “terrorism“, reported Agence France-Presse, quoted by BTA.
“We give due credit to the struggle of the Syrian people, who have suffered for decades under the despotic rule and oppression of the Assad regime, and we hope that this announcement (on the formation of a new government) represents a positive step towards an inclusive and representative Syria“, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told journalists.
“Syria's interim authorities, however, must fully "reject and eliminate terrorism, exclude foreign terrorist fighters from all official positions, and prevent Iran and its proxies from exploiting Syrian territory," Bruce said.
Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Islamist coalition toppled President Bashar al-Assad in December and took power in Damascus after nearly 14 years of civil war, announced on Saturday the formation of a new government in Syria dominated by his trusted officials.
The State Department spokeswoman also called on the interim Syrian authorities to "take meaningful steps to demonstrably destroy Assad's chemical weapons, help locate American and other citizens who have disappeared in Syria, and ensure the safety and freedoms of religious and ethnic minorities in Syria."
As for lifting sanctions, "Any adjustment in US policy towards the Syrian interim authorities will be contingent on the implementation of all these measures," the spokeswoman added.
For its part, the European Union said yesterday that it was ready to cooperate with the new Syrian government.