(Washington, D.C.) Syrian President El Shaarawy announced during his visit to the United States on Monday that Syria will join the global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), becoming its 90th member, and will cooperate with the United States to eliminate the remnants of ISIS and prevent the influx of foreign fighters. Simultaneously, the United States will restore diplomatic relations with Syria to further advance counterterrorism, security, and economic cooperation.
El Shaarawy held a closed-door meeting with U.S. President Trump at the White House on Monday (November 10), becoming the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since Syria's independence in 1946.
After the meeting, Trump told reporters that he hoped Syria would achieve "great success" after more than a decade of civil war, adding, "We will do everything in our power to make Syria successful."
He also pointed out that Syria is an important part of his broader Middle East peace plan. He posted on social media: "A stable and successful Syria is very important to all countries in the Middle East."
Reports indicate that Syria will sign a non-aggression pact with its arch-enemy Israel, a claim Trump has not confirmed. Following the meeting, Sarah, in an interview with Fox News, stated that the dispute between Syria and Israel over the Golan Heights currently makes peace talks difficult, but added that mediation by Trump and Washington might help initiate such talks. It is understood that the United States is currently engaged in this mediation effort.
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Trump praised Shara to the media as a "strong leader," mentioning his controversial past, but added, "We've all had our share of ups and downs... Frankly, I think you don't have a chance to succeed without a tough past."
The 43-year-old Shara led a lightning offensive by anti-government forces last December, ousting President Assad and becoming Syria's new president. His organization, Hazard al-Sham, was originally an offshoot of the al-Qaeda terrorist group, and he himself was listed as a "global terrorist" by the United States, with a $10 million bounty on his head, until last week when he was removed from the U.S. terrorist blacklist.
Typically, the US president greets visiting heads of state at the main entrance of the White House, but Sarawak did not receive this courtesy; he entered the White House discreetly through a side entrance by car.
The Syrian presidential palace posted on social media that Sarawak and Trump discussed "how to strengthen and develop bilateral relations, as well as some regional and international issues of common concern."
One of the main objectives of Sarawak's trip was to secure the complete lifting of the most severe US sanctions against Syria, in order to help Syria, ravaged by 14 years of war, attract foreign investment. The World Bank estimates that Syria needs at least $200 billion for reconstruction.
Just as Sarawak and Trump were holding closed-door talks, the US Treasury Department announced that it would extend Trump's executive order in May to waive sanctions on Syria for another 180 days. A complete lifting of sanctions still requires approval from the US Congress.
The US has long imposed sanctions on Syria. After the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the US, the EU, and others imposed even harsher sanctions on Syria. In 2019, the US introduced the Caesar Act, further strengthening the economic blockade against Syria.
The U.S. State Department issued a statement on the evening of the 10th, stating that the U.S. will suspend sanctions under the Caesar Act to support Syria's economic reconstruction, restoration of foreign relations, and promotion of prosperity and peace in Syria.
According to a statement from the Syrian government's foreign ministry, Syrian Foreign Minister Shibani, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, and Turkish Foreign Minister Fedan held a working meeting in Washington on the 10th to follow up on the agreement reached between Shara and Trump and to establish a clear implementation mechanism.
Counterterrorism cooperation is a major concern for the U.S., and the Syrian government has agreed to cooperate with the U.S. in combating ISIS. Syrian Information Minister Mustafa posted on social media on the 10th that Syria recently signed a declaration of political cooperation with the international coalition against ISIS, confirming Syria's partnership status in combating terrorism and maintaining regional stability. It has been reported that the Syrian government has recently launched operations against ISIS in several parts of Syria, arresting more than 70 suspects.
