Italy to host allies meeting to boost role in Syria's transition

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is set to outline measures to support the new authorities in Syria when he convenes his counterparts from the US, the UK, France, Germany and the EU on Thursday in the quest for influence over preparations for a new constitution. Discussions will centre on Syria's transitional government, led by rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), which took over Damascus on December 8, ending more than five decades of rule by the Al Assad family. "The meeting was strongly desired by Minister Tajani to take stock of the situation in Syria one month after the fall of the Assad regime," Italy's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Antony Blinken, the departing US Secretary of State, confirmed he will also attend Villa Madama outside Rome for the meeting, which aims to "takes stock" of the situation in Syria. The US State Department said the meeting was "to advocate for a peaceful, inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition". The foreign ministers will discuss a landmark national dialogue conference that Syria's new leaders say will set the priorities for the country. Initially planned for January, the conference has been delayed, with another yet to be set. Other topics on the agenda at Thursday's meeting will be the drafting of a new constitution in Syria and the country's economic recovery after 13 years of civil war, the Italian Foreign Ministry added. Implementing a new constitution could take up to three years, HTS leader and Syria's de facto ruler Ahmad Al Shara said last month. Elections are not expected until 2029. In the most high-level visit yet by Western officials, France and Germany sent their foreign affairs ministers to Damascus to meet Mr Al Shara last week. Italy, which had been pushing for the EU to normalise with former president Bashar Al Assad before his escape from Damascus, has yet to follow suit. The EU had become increasingly divided in the past months over its approach to Syria. In July, Rome had appointed an ambassador to Damascus. Paris and Berlin had shunned re-establishing diplomatic relations. In a speech on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he was "proud" that his country had maintained that position over more than a decade. Since Mr Al Assad's departure, European officials have been cautiously optimistic about HTS, which is under UN, US and EU sanctions for its former links with Al Qaeda. Some officials expressed concern after the publication last week of a new school curriculum in Syria. Tobias Lindner, Germany's Foreign Office special co-ordinator for Syria, told the BBC that Mr Al Shara's comments since taking office had sounded "promising" so far. Syria's financial and economic sectors remain under severe Syrian sanctions, though the US on Monday announced a partial easing of restrictions in certain sectors. European leaders have said they are studying the possibility of lifting some sanctions at EU level – including those affecting humanitarian aid – on the Syrian state but not all. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has said that it would depend on how the transitional government in Damascus takes into account European demands, particularly regarding the integration of ethnic and religious minorities in public representation. Western sanctions had originally been put in place as a response to former president Bashar Al Assad's human rights violations against his people in the face of peaceful protests in 2011 that later morphed into civil war. Half a million people are believed to have been killed in the ensuing violence. The fall of the Assad regime is also a significant blow for its historic supporters, Russia and Iran. French, German and British diplomats are now hoping to pressure Iran to agree to new restrictions on its nuclear activities. A new round of talks on the matter is scheduled in Geneva on January 14 and 15. A representative for the EU Commission, which has been acting as a mediator in these talks, said they continued to be in regular contact with Iran but had no further details to share.

Italy to host allies meeting to boost role in Syria's transition

New constitution and economic recovery for Syria also on agenda at European leaders' gathering in Rome