Washington: The US special envoy for Syria has urged the US House of Representatives to proceed with repealing sanctions on Syria that originated during the Assad regime.
According to Anadolu Agency, Tom Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Trkiye, highlighted on US social media platform X that the US Senate has already taken significant steps by voting to repeal the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act. This act, once essential in addressing the Assad regime's atrocities, now poses challenges to Syria as it attempts to recover. Barrack emphasized that repealing the act is not about erasing history but reshaping it to focus on renewal rather than retribution.
Barrack further mentioned previous efforts by former US President Donald Trump and the Senate to end the sanctions, urging the House of Representatives to finalize this statesmanlike gesture. He believes that repealing the Caesar Act would restore fundamental rights to the Syrian people, including the rights to work, trade, and aspire for a better future.
The envoy described the 2019 passage of the Caesar Act as a necessary moral tool at a time when Assad was still in power. He referred to Trump's decision in May to lift sanctions on Syria as a pivotal shift from coercion to cooperation. Barrack noted that this promise was realized on June 30, when an Executive Order officially revoked most sanctions on Syria, transforming US policy from punitive measures to partnership and signaling a new era of rebuilding.
Despite recent easing of measures, Syria continues to seek the complete removal of US sanctions. The majority of these sanctions are rooted in the 2019 Caesar Act, which targeted the Assad regime for war crimes during the civil war. Trump's Executive Order to end the sanctions program on June 30 left restrictions related to human rights violations, chemical weapons, and drug trafficking intact.
This policy shift followed Trump's May announcement about lifting the severe sanctions on Syria. Subsequently, a landmark meeting took place in Saudi Arabia between Trump and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, marking the first encounter between US and Syrian leaders in 25 years. The meeting came after Bashar Assad fled to Russia last December, ending nearly 25 years of his rule and the Baath Party's long-standing control since 1963.