Syria FM meets with US State Department officials in New York

Two informed sources said that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met with senior US State Department officials in New York on Tuesday, as Damascus seeks a clear roadmap from Washington for permanent sanctions relief.

Shibani is visiting the United States to attend meetings at the United Nations, where he raised the three-star Syrian revolution flag as the official flag of Syria 14 years after the outbreak of war in the country.

Tuesday's meeting was the first between US officials and al-Shibani on American soil and comes after Damascus responded earlier this month to a list of conditions set by Washington for possible sanctions relief.

It is not yet known which officials al-Shibani met, but one source previously said he was expected to meet with Dorothy Shea, the acting US ambassador to the UN.

For her part, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce confirmed that "some representatives of the Syrian interim authorities" were in New York for the UN meetings, but declined to say whether any meetings with US officials were planned.

She added, "We continue to carefully evaluate our policy toward Syria and will judge the interim authorities based on their actions. We are not currently in the process of normalizing diplomatic relations with Syria, and I cannot provide you with any advance information regarding any meetings."

One informed source said that Damascus is keen to see a realistic roadmap from the United States for permanent sanctions relief, with a realistic timeline for meeting Washington's demands for lifting them.

Last month, the United States presented Syria with a list of eight conditions it wants Damascus to meet, including destroying its remaining chemical weapons stockpile and ensuring that foreigners do not hold leadership positions in the government.

Syria desperately needs sanctions relief to revive its economy, shattered by years of war, during which the United States, Britain, and Europe imposed strict sanctions in an attempt to pressure ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Last January, the United States issued a six-month waiver on some sanctions to encourage aid, but the waiver had little effect.

On December 8, 2024, Syrian opposition factions took control of the capital, Damascus, ending 61 years of Ba'ath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family rule.