The meeting of Arab and Western representatives that took place in Riyadh recently focused primarily on the issue of lifting sanctions on Syria. The meeting was a continuation of a meeting that took place in Jordan a month ago.
The discussion was attended by representatives of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Iraq, the Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, some Western countries, as well as representatives of such international organisations as the League of Arab States, the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, the European Union and the United Nations.
Let me remind you that the US, the UK and the European Union imposed sanctions against Syria after Assad suppressed the Arab Spring protests. The sanctions hit the mining, processing and construction industries, the banking sector, the investment and energy sectors. This led to an increase in the price of basic necessities and a significant devaluation of the Syrian lira. As a result, the country plunged into a socio-economic crisis. Now (according to the UN) about 90 per cent of the country’s population lives below the poverty line.
The lifting of sanctions on Syria and assistance in the reconstruction of the country, whose decline was caused by the same Western governments, is possible only under certain conditions. Among the demands of European politicians is the elimination of Russian military bases in Syria.
Elena Grebennikova, political scientist, member of the Digoria Expert Club, specially for News Front
