AIRLINK 175.65 Decreased By ▼ -1.91 (-1.08%)
BOP 11.01 Decreased By ▼ -0.04 (-0.36%)
CNERGY 8.33 Increased By ▲ 0.16 (1.96%)
FCCL 47.10 Decreased By ▼ -0.22 (-0.46%)
FFL 16.02 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-0.62%)
FLYNG 27.02 Decreased By ▼ -0.33 (-1.21%)
HUBC 142.45 Decreased By ▼ -4.46 (-3.04%)
HUMNL 13.37 Decreased By ▼ -0.14 (-1.04%)
KEL 4.45 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-1.11%)
KOSM 5.91 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
MLCF 61.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.52 (-0.84%)
OGDC 226.31 Decreased By ▼ -8.37 (-3.57%)
PACE 5.80 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
PAEL 44.79 Decreased By ▼ -1.62 (-3.49%)
PIAHCLA 17.93 Decreased By ▼ -0.19 (-1.05%)
PIBTL 10.45 Decreased By ▼ -0.12 (-1.14%)
POWER 12.10 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.92%)
PPL 185.99 Decreased By ▼ -5.81 (-3.03%)
PRL 37.25 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-0.19%)
PTC 24.14 Increased By ▲ 0.94 (4.05%)
SEARL 99.95 Decreased By ▼ -0.94 (-0.93%)
SSGC 38.40 Decreased By ▼ -1.31 (-3.3%)
SYM 14.89 Decreased By ▼ -0.14 (-0.93%)
TELE 7.75 Decreased By ▼ -0.09 (-1.15%)
TPLP 11.10 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.09%)
TRG 66.00 Decreased By ▼ -1.29 (-1.92%)
WAVESAPP 11.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.35 (-3.08%)
WTL 1.36 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
YOUW 3.82 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (1.33%)
BR100 12,826 Increased By 19.4 (0.15%)
BR30 38,861 Decreased By -842.2 (-2.12%)
KSE100 118,792 Decreased By -146.5 (-0.12%)
KSE30 36,779 Increased By 22.6 (0.06%)

BRUSSELS: EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said Monday the bloc would raise the issue of Russian bases with Syria’s new leadership, arguing Moscow has no place in the country’s future.

Russia, along with Iran, were the key backers of ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and propped him up militarily during the brutal civil war.

“Russia and Iran also should not have a place in Syria’s future,” Kallas said after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

“Many foreign ministers took this up to say that, you know, it should be a condition for the new leadership that they also get rid of the Russian influence.”

Russia has two main bases in Syria – one naval and the other airforce – that serve as key hubs for bolstering Moscow’s sway in the region.

“It is a base where they also conduct their activities towards Africa and the southern neighbours. So this is definitely of worry to the European security as well,” Kallas said.

Kremlin says no final decisions yet on fate of Russian military bases in Syria

“We will raise this issue with the leadership.”

European countries are scrambling to work out how to engage with the new authorities in Damascus, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

The EU’s top diplomat on Syria on Monday travelled to Damascus and held his first meetings with the new powers since they ended five decade of Assad family rule, Kallas said.

Western powers are wary of HTS, given that the group had its roots in Al-Qaeda and is listed as a terror group by a number of governments.

Kallas said key conditions for cooperation included “inclusiveness of government, taking into account especially the minorities and women’s rights” and shunning extremism.

Syria’s economy has been hit by punishing EU sanctions during the war and HTS is also blacklisted due to its ties to Al-Qaeda.

Kallas said the EU was looking at whether to start lifting its punitive measures “when we see positive steps, not the words, but actual steps and deeds from the new leadership of Syria”.

“We need to have the plan ready when we see the steps, then we also are ready to act positively,” she said.

International players have expressed cautious optimism as the nascent authorities in Damascus have vowed to protect all religious sects and include others in governing.

The EU has been one of the biggest donors of humanitarian aid for Syria in recent years and has organised annual donor conferences to increase support for the people of the war-torn nation.

Kallas said Brussels was working to hold a new donors conference following Assad fall, but did not set a date.

Comments

200 characters