US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Rome Thursday for talks with European counterparts on bringing stability to Syria in the face of Turkish threats against Kurdish forces there.It is the final stage in what is likely his last tour in the role before US President Joe Biden makes way for President-elect Donald Trump later this month.Blinken, on a trip that has taken him to South Korea, Japan and France, will dine in Rome with counterparts from Britain, France, Germany and Italy.Already in Paris Wednesday, Blinken said the United States was united with the Europeans on seeking a peaceful, stable Syria, a month after Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.But concerns have mounted over Turkey’s threats against Syrian Kurdish fighters, who have effectively run their own state during the brutal civil war engulfing Syria.A war monitor said that battles between Turkish-backed groups supported by air strikes and Kurdish-led forces had killed 37 people Thursday.The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have worked with the United States on Washington’s main stated priority — battling the Islamic State extremist group. Turkey however says the SDF has links with PKK militants at home.In Paris, Blinken acknowledged that Turkey had “legitimate concerns” and that the SDF should gradually be integrated into a revamped national army, with foreign fighters removed.”That’s a process that’s going to take some time,” he told reporters. “And in the meantime, what is profoundly not in the interest of everything positive we see happening in Syria would be a conflict.”We’ll work very hard to make sure that that doesn’t happen.”- The sanctions question -Blinken said he expected no change on goals in Syria from Trump, who takes over on January 20. During his last term, Trump briefly said he would accede to a request by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to pull out US troops working in Syria with the Kurdish forces.He backed down after counter-appeals led by French President Emmanuel Macron.The foreign ministers in Rome will also discuss whether to ease sanctions on Syria — and if so, when.French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Wednesday that some sanctions “could be lifted quickly”.The US Treasury Department said this week it would ease enforcement on restrictions affecting essential services.But US officials say they will wait to see progress before any wider easing of sanctions.The outgoing Biden administration is unlikely, in its final days, to accept the political costs of removing Syria’s victorious Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels from the US “terrorism” blacklist.- Differences -While Western powers are largely in synch on Syria, some differences remain.Blinken reiterated US calls on European countries to repatriate citizens of theirs detained in Syria for working with the Islamic State group and languishing in vast camps run by the Kurdish fighters.France and Britain, with painful memories of attacks by homegrown Islamist extremists, have little desire to bring militants back.The Rome talks come a week after the French and German foreign ministers, Jean-Noel Barrot and Annalena Baerbock, visited Damascus and met new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to encourage an inclusive transition.Sharaa, who has roots in Al-Qaeda, has promised to protect minorities after the fall of the iron-fisted but largely secular Assad.A senior US official last month met Sharaa and told him that Washington was dropping a $10-million bounty on his head.Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will pay his own visit to Syria on Friday, during which he plans to announce an initial development aid package.Italy’s hard-right government has pledged to reduce immigration. Millions of Syrians sought asylum in Europe during the civil war, triggering a backlash in some parts of the continent that shook up European politics.Unlike other major European powers, Italy had moved to normalise ties with Assad just weeks before his fall, mistakenly assuming that he had effectively won the war.Blinken had been expected to remain in Italy through the weekend to join.But the outgoing US leader scrapped his trip, which was to have included an audience with Pope Francis, to address wildfires sweeping Los Angeles.
Thu, 09 Jan 2025 15:11:57 GMT
