Syria hails US lifting of sanctions as 'positive step'
WASHINGTON
Syria on Saturday hailed the formal lifting of sanctions by the United States as a "positive step" that will help its post-war recovery.
"The Syrian Arab Republic welcomes the decision from the American government to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria and its people for long years," a foreign ministry statement said.
The United States lifted comprehensive economic sanctions on Syria on Friday, marking a dramatic policy shift following the December overthrow of Bashar al-Assad and opening the door for investment in the country's reconstruction.
The ministry described the move as "a positive step in the right direction to reduce humanitarian and economic struggles in the country".
It formalized a decision announced by U.S. President Donald Trump during a visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this month.
"As President Trump promised, the Treasury Department and the State Department are implementing authorizations to encourage new investment into Syria.
"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 the Treasury Scott Bessent said in a statement.
During a visit to the Middle East last week, President Donald Trump said he would order the removal of “brutal and crippling” U.S. sanctions on Syria to give that country “a chance at greatness.”
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement that the general license authorizes transactions prohibited by the Syrian Sanctions Regulations, effectively lifting sanctions on Syria.
The general license will enable new investment and private sector activity, it said.
"The U.S. Department of State is concurrently issuing a waiver under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act (Caesar Act) that will enable our foreign partners, allies, and the region to further unlock Syria’s potential.
"This is just one part of a broader U.S. government effort to remove the full architecture of sanctions imposed on Syria due to the abuses of the Bashar al-Assad regime," it added.
The U.S. is committed to supporting a Syria that is "stable, unified, and at peace" with itself and its neighbors, it said, adding the sanctions relief was extended to the new government with the understanding that the country would not offer a "safe haven" for terror organizations and will ensure the security of its religious and ethnic minorities.
The authorization is also intended to help rebuild Syria’s economy, financial sector and infrastructure, according to the statement.
Rubio issues 180-day sanctions waiver for Syria under Caesar Act
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he issued a 180-day waiver of mandatory Caesar Act sanctions to ensure the penalties do not impede the ability of U.S. partners to make stability-driving investments, and advance Syria’s recovery and reconstruction efforts.
"These waivers will facilitate the provision of electricity, energy, water, and sanitation, and enable a more effective humanitarian response across Syria," he said in a statement.
Rubio said the actions represent the "first step" in delivering on Trump's vision of a new relationship between Syria and the U.S..
Trump is providing the Syrian government "with the chance to promote peace and stability, both within Syria and in Syria’s relations with its neighbors," he added.
"The President has made clear his expectation that relief will be followed by prompt action by the Syrian government on important policy priorities," Rubio said.
