Syria's foreign minister calls for lift of sanctions

The Syrian foreign minister has reiterated the importance of lifting sanctions to give the country stability.

"Just remove the sanctions and open the road for the Syrian people, and this will be a guarantee of security and stability in Syria," Asaad al Shaibani said on Saturday at the New Dawn for Damascus: Prospects for Syria's Transition session during the Munich Security Conference.

Western nations imposed severe economic sanctions on Syria after former Baath regime's Bashar al Assad's brutal crackdown on protesters in 2011, which later escalated into a devastating civil war.

The sanctions included an import ban on crude oil and petroleum products from Syria, the freezing of Syrian government assets abroad, and export restrictions on certain equipment, goods, and technology.

Russia, Israel

Asked about Russian bases in the country, Shaibani said, "Reshaping the relations with Russia would be the decision of the people."

On Israeli presence in Syrian lands, the foreign minister said Israel is destabilising the region and it must abide by the 1974 disengagement agreement.

Shaibani urged the international community to give the Syrian people a chance to live in peace and stability.

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Source: TRT