The European Union will closely watch the political process developing in Syria and stand by the country if it moves toward a peaceful and open future but it will not back Syria’s Islamization, Germany’s foreign minister said on Friday.
Annalena Baerbock, who together with her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot travelled to Syria on Friday on behalf of the EU,
She told the German nightly news program Tagesthemen that the EU is waiting to see what will develop in Syria after years of absolute oppression under long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown just over four weeks ago.
“But of course we, as Europe, will not be a financier for the Islamization of a society,” she said.
Baerbock and Barrot met with Syria’s de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa during their visit.
Baerbock told the public broadcaster that her first impression was of a divided society. On one hand, there is hope for freedom after all the years of civil war, torture and oppression. On the other hand, many are concerned that hopes could be dashed for women and religious and ethnic minorities.
This was addressed very clearly, she said. By the end of the discussions, the new Syrian rulers had emphatically acknowledged that they understood this and wanted to consider the issue of women’s participation, Baerbock added.
