OUTSTRETCHED HAND
Baerbock said she was travelling to Syria with an “outstretched hand” as well as “clear expectations” of the new rulers, who she said would be judged by their actions.
“We know where the HTS comes from ideologically, what it has done in the past,” said Baerbock in a statement ahead of the trip, adding that a new beginning to relations could only happen if there is no place for extremism and radical groups.
“But we also hear and see the desire for moderation and for understanding with other important actors,” she added, citing talks with US-allied Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces.
The goal now is for Syria to once again become a respected member of the international community, she said, which also lies in Europe’s security interests.
Barrot similarly expressed his hope for a “sovereign and safe” Syria that would leave no room for terrorism, chemical weapons or malign foreign actors, during a meeting with representatives from Syrian civil society organisations.
Germany and France plan to offer their technical help and advice to Syria as the country drafts a new constitution, Barrot told journalists, saying that hope for the country’s democratic transition was “fragile but real”.
He called for a political solution for Kurdish fighters in Syria to be integrated into the Syrian state, adding that a permanent ceasefire must be achieved, but he did not respond when asked when the EU could lift sanctions on Syria.
Barrot also visited the French embassy, which has been closed since 2012, where he said France would work towards re-establishing diplomatic representation in line with political and security conditions, diplomatic sources said.
As part of their visit, the ministers took a tour of Syria’s most notorious prison, the vast Sednaya complex.
“Now it’s up to the international community to help to bring justice to the people who have suffered here in this prison of hell,” Baerbock said.
