The United Kingdom announces to restore diplomatic relations with Syria

The United Kingdom announced, on Saturday July 5, the restoration of its diplomatic relations with Syria on Saturday, broken for more than a decade, on the occasion of the first visit to Damascus of his diplomacy, David Lammy, since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, in December. A diplomatic advance for the new Islamist authorities, which are trying to rebuild the country, devastated by more than thirteen years of conflict, and to relaunch its moribund economy.

The war was triggered in 2011 by the repression of demonstrations in favor of democracy, and many European countries, such as the United Kingdom, had then taken a stand against President Bashar al-Assad. London had joined the international sanctions taken against Damascus, and then closed his embassy.

“The United Kingdom restores its diplomatic relations because it is in its interest to help the new government to honor its commitment to build a stable, safer and more prosperous future for all Syrians”said Lammy, quoted in a statement from his services, during this first British ministerial trip to Syria in fourteen years.

The Syrian presidency had previously reported a meeting in Damascus between Mr. Lammy and the acting Syrian president, Ahmed al-Charaa. The British minister also met his Syrian counterpart, Assad Hassan al-Chibani. Discussions focused on “Bilateral relations (…) and the means of strengthening cooperation, as well as on regional and international developments ”according to the presidency.

Mr. Lammy put forward that a stable Syria would be beneficial for his country, by allowing “Reduce the risk of irregular migration, to ensure the destruction of chemical weapons” of the previous power, as well as “Fighting the terrorist threat”.

Gradual lifting of sanctions

These concerns are shared by other Western countries, which have restored their relations with the new Syrian power, despite concerns relating in particular to the fate of minorities. The new authorities are counting on their support to launch the reconstruction phase, the cost of which is estimated by the United Nations at more than $ 400 billion.

According to the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, London is committed to paying an additional $ 129 million to provide a “Emergency humanitarian aid” to Syrians and support reconstruction. In March, the United Kingdom had promised to mobilize up to 190 million euros in favor of Syria.

Syria has experienced intense diplomatic activity since the Islamist forces ended, on December 8, half a century of unrevable power of the Assad clan on Syria. In May, the United States and the European Union announced the lifting of economic sanctions against Syria. In the same month, the Minister of Syrian Defense, Mourhaf Abu Qasra, had met an official British delegation, according to his ministry.

In April, the British government announced the lifting of the sanctions imposed on the Syrian interior and defense ministries under Assad. London had also raised sanctions against various media groups and intelligence agencies, as well as against certain sectors of the economy, financial services and energy production, among others.