Senior US Lawmakers Hold Talks with Syrian Leader in Damascus, Push for End to Sanctions

LONDON:  Senior members of the US Congress have met with Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, in Damascus as part of an effort to permanently repeal sanctions imposed on the country during its civil war.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) held talks on Monday with Al-Sharaa and other senior officials, stressing that lifting sanctions once imposed on the regime of former leader Bashar Assad is vital for Syria’s recovery and reintegration into the global economy.

“A Syria that can stand on its own after ridding itself of the Assad regime will be a cornerstone for regional stability in the Middle East,” Shaheen said, pledging US support for the country’s new leadership. She described her meetings in Damascus as “very positive,” adding that Syrians were “hopeful about the future.”

Wilson, a longtime advocate of the Syrian-American community, said, “They’ve always dreamed that one day Damascus would be free, and I believe that day has come.”

In May, President Donald Trump announced a 180-day suspension of sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which since 2019 had targeted Syria’s energy, financial, and construction sectors. Lawmakers are now seeking a permanent repeal through an amendment to the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act.

While some in Congress have warned against re-engagement with Syria, bipartisan support for easing restrictions has grown. Earlier this year, Shaheen and Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) jointly urged the administration to remove obstacles to working with Syria’s interim government.

Al-Sharaa, who met Trump in Saudi Arabia in May, is expected to deliver his first address to the UN General Assembly in New York next month.

# Voice of Malaysia News