Paris (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to visit Paris on Wednesday. This marks his first trip to Europe since Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December. Al-Sharaa is looking for international backing to enhance stability in his war-torn nation.
Sharaa, set to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, has been granted a travel exemption by the United Nations to visit Paris despite being on a terrorism sanctions list due to his former leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously affiliated with al Qaeda.
What will Paris demand from Syria’s new leadership?
As reported by Reuters, the two leaders will discuss ways to guarantee Syria’s sovereignty and security, address the treatment of minorities following recent assaults on Alawites and Druze, counterterrorism strategies against Islamic State militants, and collaboration on aid and economic support, which includes an easing of restrictions sanctions, French officials said.
The visit signifies a diplomatic enhancement for Sharaa from a Western power, especially as the United States currently does not recognise any group as the Syrian government and maintains sanctions.
Is France ready to normalise ties with Damascus?
“We are not writing a blank cheque, and we will judge (him) on actions,”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said. He also said that France aimed to make certain that Syria concentrated on combating impunity to reduce sectarian violence and was fully committed to addressing the Islamic State militants.
“If Syria were to collapse today, it would be like rolling out a red carpet for Islamic State,” Barrot said.
How are protests in Paris shaping diplomatic optics?
On the other hand, on Wednesday afternoon, the Franco-Alawite Collective is protesting Sharaa in the heart of Paris. The mass murders of Alawaites in the country’s coastline area in March prompted the same group to submit a legal complaint against Sharaa and some of his ministers for crimes against humanity and genocide with the Paris prosecutor on April 11, as reported by Reuters.
What role does France play in post-Assad Syria?
France celebrated Assad’s removal and has been strengthening relations with Sharaa’s transitional authorities. Recently, Macron participated in a trilateral video conference with Sharaa and Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun to help reduce border tensions.
Last month, France appointed a chargé d’affaires in Damascus, along with a small team of diplomats, as part of its efforts to fully reopen its embassy. Paris sees an opportunity in Syria, having severed relations with Assad in 2012 and consistently declined to reestablish links with his government, even after opposition forces faced significant defeats and were relegated to northern areas of the country.
In recent months, France has acted as an intermediary between Sharaa and the Kurds while the United States reduced its presence, and the new Syrian leader sought to reintegrate the region under centralised control from Damascus. A French presidential official stated that Paris has been in discussions with the Americans about managing Washington’s withdrawal and exploring ways for France to assume a more significant role.
