Israel is overreacting to what it perceives as threats to its sovereignty, while Syria's authorities are keen on preserving the country's unity in a realistic manner, Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani said in Munich on Saturday.
He was speaking on a panel moderated by The National's Editor-in-Chief, Mina Al-Oraibi, on the second day of the Munich Security Conference, which focused on the country's future following the fall of the former regime.
“We are working to preserve the unity of Syrian territory and avoid the mistakes of the past,” he said. “We are dealing with reality, not an ideal world. We are also facing a country exhausted by years of war and the corruption of the former regime.”
He said the former rebels who have taken over the country since the fall of the Assad regime more than a year ago are “satisfied with what has been achieved” so far.
“But we want to do more,” he added. “We are working hard to build a Syria that embraces and reflects its rich diversity, but the path wasn't rosy.”
The fall of Bashar Al Assad’s government in December 2024 and the continuing debates over what the new Syrian republic should look like have inevitably led to questions about the status of its minorities, including the Kurds and Druze.
While most of the areas held by Kurdish-led forces have been handed over to government forces, Sweida and parts of its surrounding countryside barricaded themselves off amid growing animosity towards Damascus after hundreds of Druze civilians were killed in July.
“What we have in Syria is the belonging to Syria,” said Mr Al Shibani. “We have higher principles which is the national identity of the country and the national interests of the country, and under that umbrella we can work for a state that can emerge from a destructive war.”
Israel 'overreacting'
Another challenge facing the new authorities is Israel’s incursions in the south and its refusal to withdraw troops from areas near the border it occupied after the fall of the Assad regime. This is despite a recent agreement with Damascus, with Israel citing security concerns.
“Israel is overreacting to the perception of the threats that it has, and I believe this is a wrong policy,” said the minister.
“If these negotiations conclude in the way we hope, the outcome should include Israel's withdrawal from the territories it occupied after December 8, an end to violations of Syrian airspace, and a halt to any further incursions into Syria,” he explained.
European businesses are eager to seize investment opportunities in Syria, but security risks and a government in transition make them wary of jumping in at the deep end.
The last package of US sanctions was lifted in December, a year after the collapse of the regime. Syrians need reconstruction as their country emerges from a 13-year civil war.
“Actually, we haven’t gained much yet. Lifting sanctions simply opens the door. It is not reconstruction, and it is not the end of the process,” explained Mr Al Shibani.
“In Syria, we still have camps for internally displaced people. Millions of refugees remain outside the country. Large numbers of cities and villages lie in ruins. Schools and hospitals have been destroyed,” he added.
“We are trying to reintroduce Syria to the world, to show that this Syria wants to co-operate and work with everyone. Economic obstacles, particularly sanctions, were a major barrier. Their removal is only the first step. It paves the way for reconstruction.”
Mr Al Shibani also announced that authorities are encouraging major countries to convene an international conference on Syria’s reconstruction.
“Such a conference would mark the beginning of recovery and development. It would also be key to enabling Syrians to return home,” he said.
