President Assad Revokes Visas for EU Envoys
BRUSSELS (Dispatches) -- Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has revoked special visas for European Union diplomats and officials traveling regularly between Beirut and Damascus, three senior EU diplomats told Reuters news agency.
Since conflict broke out in Syria in 2011, the EU has used the Lebanese capital, the nearest major city, for its diplomatic base while closing most embassies in Damascus.
But the special permission to use multiple-entry Syrian visas for access to Damascus was rescinded at the start of January with no explanation from the Syrian government, the EU diplomats said, meaning personnel have to apply for time-consuming, single-entry visas every time they wish to travel.
The European Union, which imposed the latest in a series of economic sanctions on Assad’s government on Monday, says it will not shift its policy until a political transition away from Assad is underway as part of a UN-led peace process.
But EU diplomats also say Assad feels far more secure in his position than several years ago as he consolidates territorial advances and other countries reconsider their positions.
"So far, the EU is united on its policy that we won’t deal with Assad, but he appears to feel his bargaining position is stronger now,” one diplomat was quoted as saying.
The United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus in December, a significant shift for a U.S.-allied Arab state that once backed terrorists fighting him. Also in December, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir became the first Arab head of state to visit Damascus since the start of the Syrian conflict, flying into Damascus airport.
Syria’s possible rehabilitation by its Arab peers is also under consideration, as the Arab League debates whether to end its membership suspension. Leaders of the EU and the Arab League will hold a rare, two-day summit in Cairo from Feb. 24.
The U.S. withdrawal from Syria also appears to have given Assad further confidence, the diplomats said. The U.S. departure from the quarter of Syria held by Kurdish-led militants could allow to regain control over the area, home to much of the country’s natural resources.
Trump confounded his own national security team with a surprise decision on Dec. 19 to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria.
Trump told his Turkish counterpart on Sunday that the United States wasn’t going to reverse its decision to withdraw militarily from Syria, even after an attack in the city of Manbij last week claimed the lives of four U.S. servicemen.
According to a senior Turkish official, who spoke to Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity due to government protocol, Trump said that he agreed with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s assessment that the attack was a provocation that aimed to influence the pullout decision.
"I won’t back down. I’m decisive, we will pull out,” Trump reportedly said.
The call came before Erdogan’s scheduled visit on Wednesday to discuss a 32km security zone in northern Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Turkish officials believe Putin is sympathetic to Trump’s security zone proposal, yet is seeking some concessions in opposition-held Idlib and in the south, around oil-rich Dayr al-Zawr.
President Assad has already made it clear that the West "won't be part of reconstruction in Syria, because very simply we won't allow them to be part of it, whether they come with money or not."
Assad has said Syria would not accept any Western money to help rebuild the country. "We have enough strength to rebuild the country. If we don’t have money, we will borrow from our friends, from Syrians living abroad.”
He has also said he does not think it is worth pursuing negotiations with the Trump administration to reach an understanding over the crisis in his country.
James Jeffrey, the U.S. special representative in Syria, said last month that Syria would need $300-400 billion to rebuild, but stated that Western powers and their financial institutions would not commit funds without a change of course.
Since conflict broke out in Syria in 2011, the EU has used the Lebanese capital, the nearest major city, for its diplomatic base while closing most embassies in Damascus.
But the special permission to use multiple-entry Syrian visas for access to Damascus was rescinded at the start of January with no explanation from the Syrian government, the EU diplomats said, meaning personnel have to apply for time-consuming, single-entry visas every time they wish to travel.
The European Union, which imposed the latest in a series of economic sanctions on Assad’s government on Monday, says it will not shift its policy until a political transition away from Assad is underway as part of a UN-led peace process.
But EU diplomats also say Assad feels far more secure in his position than several years ago as he consolidates territorial advances and other countries reconsider their positions.
"So far, the EU is united on its policy that we won’t deal with Assad, but he appears to feel his bargaining position is stronger now,” one diplomat was quoted as saying.
The United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus in December, a significant shift for a U.S.-allied Arab state that once backed terrorists fighting him. Also in December, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir became the first Arab head of state to visit Damascus since the start of the Syrian conflict, flying into Damascus airport.
Syria’s possible rehabilitation by its Arab peers is also under consideration, as the Arab League debates whether to end its membership suspension. Leaders of the EU and the Arab League will hold a rare, two-day summit in Cairo from Feb. 24.
The U.S. withdrawal from Syria also appears to have given Assad further confidence, the diplomats said. The U.S. departure from the quarter of Syria held by Kurdish-led militants could allow to regain control over the area, home to much of the country’s natural resources.
Trump confounded his own national security team with a surprise decision on Dec. 19 to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria.
Trump told his Turkish counterpart on Sunday that the United States wasn’t going to reverse its decision to withdraw militarily from Syria, even after an attack in the city of Manbij last week claimed the lives of four U.S. servicemen.
According to a senior Turkish official, who spoke to Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity due to government protocol, Trump said that he agreed with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s assessment that the attack was a provocation that aimed to influence the pullout decision.
"I won’t back down. I’m decisive, we will pull out,” Trump reportedly said.
The call came before Erdogan’s scheduled visit on Wednesday to discuss a 32km security zone in northern Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Turkish officials believe Putin is sympathetic to Trump’s security zone proposal, yet is seeking some concessions in opposition-held Idlib and in the south, around oil-rich Dayr al-Zawr.
President Assad has already made it clear that the West "won't be part of reconstruction in Syria, because very simply we won't allow them to be part of it, whether they come with money or not."
Assad has said Syria would not accept any Western money to help rebuild the country. "We have enough strength to rebuild the country. If we don’t have money, we will borrow from our friends, from Syrians living abroad.”
He has also said he does not think it is worth pursuing negotiations with the Trump administration to reach an understanding over the crisis in his country.
James Jeffrey, the U.S. special representative in Syria, said last month that Syria would need $300-400 billion to rebuild, but stated that Western powers and their financial institutions would not commit funds without a change of course.