UK Plans To Ease Syria Sanctions After Fall of Assad regime

UK Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty said in a written statement to parliament:

Today I am updating the House on the future of the UK’s Syria sanctions regime following the welcome fall of Assad’s dictatorship late last year.

Sanctions remain a powerful foreign and security policy tool, and this Government is committed to maximising their impact, which includes reviewing their use in light of changing circumstances.

Therefore, I am pleased to inform the House that the Government will bring forward measures in the coming months adapting the Syria sanctions regime, including amendments to the Syria Regulations, which Members of Parliament will have the opportunity to debate.

We are making these changes to support the Syrian people in re-building their country and promote security and stability. They will include the relaxation of restrictions that apply to the energy, transport and finance sectors, and provisions to further support humanitarian delivery.

The Government remains determined to hold Bashar al-Assad and his associates to account for their actions against the people of Syria. We will ensure that asset freezes and travel bans imposed on members of the former regime remain in force.

In this way, the FCDO will continue to use sanctions in a manner that is targeted, proportionate and robust to hold accountable those responsible for atrocious crimes committed during Assad’s reign and to support what we hope will be Syria’s transition to a more secure, prosperous and stable future.