US President Donald Trump yesterday met with Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, the first encounter between the two nations’ leaders in 25 years and one that could mark a turning point for Syria as it struggles to emerge from decades of international isolation.
The meeting, on the sidelines of Trump’s get-together with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, marks a major turn of events for a Syria still adjusting to life after the more than 50-year rule of the al-Assad family.
Trump had announced the day before as he began his three-nation Middle East tour in Riyadh that he would also move to lift US sanctions imposed on Syria during the administration of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
Photo: AP
People across Syria cheered in the streets and set off fireworks on Tuesday to celebrate, hopeful their nation — locked out of credit cards and global finance — might rejoin the world’s economy when they need investments the most.
Yesterday’s meeting was also remarkable given al-Sharaa, under the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, had ties to al-Qaeda and joined insurgents battling US forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian war. He was even imprisoned by US troops there for several years.
The meeting came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier asked Trump not to lift sanctions on Syria.
I am “ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start,” Trump told the Gulf Cooperation Council after his meeting with al-Sharaa. “It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful.”
The meeting took place behind closed doors and reporters were not permitted to witness the engagement.
The White House later said it ran for just over 30 minutes.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the meeting between Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and al-Sharaa via a telephone call.
Turkey was a main backer to al-Sharaa and his rebel faction.
“I felt very strongly that this would give them a chance,” Trump said of Syria. “It’s not going to be easy anyway, so gives them a good strong chance. And, it was my honor to do so.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Trump urged al-Sharaa to diplomatically recognize Israel, “tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria” and help the US stop any resurgence of the Islamic State group.
Trump also asked for the Syrian government to “assume responsibility” for more than a dozen detention centers holding about 9,000 suspected members of the Islamic State group, Leavitt added.
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