President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told President Ahmad Al Shara he welcomed US and EU decisions to lift sanctions on Syria during a surprise meeting between the two leaders in Istanbul on Saturday.
The Turkish President also said that “Israel's occupation and aggression in Syrian territory is unacceptable”. He added that Ankara will continue to oppose Israel's actions.
Turkey's foreign and defence ministers attended the talks, along with the head of the Turkish MIT intelligence agency. Their Syrian counterparts also attended.
Mr Al Shara and his Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shaibani met the new US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, who is also ambassador to Turkey, on Saturday.
Mr Barrack said the meeting was held in order to “implement President [Donald] Trump’s bold decision to provide a path for peace and prosperity in Syria”.
“President Trump’s goal is to enable the new government to create the conditions for the Syrian people to not only survive but thrive,” he added.
He said the meeting concluded with a “joint commitment of both our countries to drive forward, quickly, with investment, development, and worldwide branding of a new, welcoming Syria without sanctions”.
The Syrian leader has had a remarkable two weeks that included meeting the US President in Riyadh. Mr Trump pledged to lift crippling economic sanctions on Syria at that meeting.
On Friday, the US Treasury Department announced a general licence for Syria, providing immediate sanctions relief. The lifting of sanctions is seen as a key enabler for the new government and will support Syria’s reconstruction after a devastating civil war.
US introduces sanctions relief for Syria
The US licence, known as GL25, “authorises transactions prohibited by the Syrian Sanctions Regulations, effectively lifting sanctions on Syria,” said the Treasury in a statement on Friday.
“As President Trump promised, the Treasury Department and the State Department are implementing authorisations to encourage new investment into Syria,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“Syria must also continue to work towards becoming a stable country that is at peace, and today’s actions will hopefully put the country on a path to a bright, prosperous and stable future.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also issued a 180-day waiver under the Caesar Act to ensure that sanctions do not obstruct investment, and to enable the provision of electricity, energy, water and sanitation and enable humanitarian efforts, he said.
“Today’s actions represent the first step in delivering on the President’s vision of a new relationship between Syria and the United States,” said Mr Rubio, adding that Mr Trump had made clear his expectation that sanctions relief would be followed by action by the Syrian government.
Mr Trump unexpectedly announced last week that he would lift the sanctions at the behest of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a major US policy shift.
The White House said after Mr Trump met Mr Al Shara in Riyadh that the US President asked Syria to adhere to several conditions in exchange for sanctions relief, including telling all foreign militants to leave the country, deporting what he called Palestinian terrorists and helping the US prevent the resurgence of ISIS.
The waivers do not allow for transactions that benefit Russia, Iran or North Korea, and are intended to help rebuild Syria’s economy, financial sector and infrastructure, in line with US foreign policy interests, according to the Treasury Department.
Syria welcomes 'positive step'
Syria welcomed the sanctions waiver on Saturday. The Foreign Ministry called it a “positive step in the right direction to alleviate the country's humanitarian and economic suffering”.
Syria is keen on co-operating with other countries “on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs”, the ministry said. “It believes that dialogue and diplomacy are the best path to building balanced relations.”
Most of the US sanctions against Syria were imposed on the government of Bashar Al Assad and his allies in 2011, after the civil war erupted. Mr Al Shara led militias that overthrew Mr Al Assad's regime in December.
The general licence names Mr Al Shara, formerly sanctioned under the name Abu Mohammed Al Jawlani, among the people and entities with whom transactions are now authorised. It also lists Syrian Arab Airlines, the Central Bank of Syria and several other banks, state oil and gas companies and the Four Seasons Damascus hotel.
With additional reporting from Reuters
Result
Tottenhan Hotspur 2 Roma 3
Tottenham: Winks 87', Janssen 90 1'
Roma 3
D Perotti 13' (pen), C Under 70', M Tumminello 90 2"
Summer special
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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The five pillars of Islam
