Syria: Macron considers it "imperative to avoid" a repetition of violence
Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday, July 26, that it was "imperative to prevent episodes of violence from being repeated" in Syria, calling for the prosecution of those responsible for the atrocities of recent days in the country, after speaking with Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Shareh.
"The recent violence in Syria is a reminder of the extreme fragility of the transition. Civilians must be protected," wrote the French president on X, calling for a "peaceful dialogue" locally to "enable us to meet the objective of unifying Syria while respecting the rights of all its citizens."
I spoke with Syrian Interim President Al-Sharaa. The recent violence in Syria is a reminder of the extreme fragility of the transition. Civilians must be protected.
It is imperative to avoid…
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Syria, governed by the transitional authorities of Islamist Ahmed al-Shareh, who took power after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December, is regularly the scene of intercommunal violence, the latest of which between Druze and Sunni Bedouins left more than 1,300 dead, mostly Druze, between July 13 and 20 in the province of Sweida (south).
A ceasefire came into effect last Sunday, welcomed by Emmanuel Macron who saw it as a "positive signal" , while relations between the transitional authorities and the country's various minorities are worrying part of the international community.
"I spoke with the Syrian president about the urgency of finding a political solution with local actors, within a national framework of governance and security," declared the French head of state.
Paris, Damascus and Washington agreed on Friday that a new round of talks would be held "as soon as possible" between the Syrian government and the Kurdish administration in the French capital, in order to integrate the Kurds into the Syrian state.
Mazloum Abdi, leader of the SDF— the armed wing of the Kurds backed by Washington —and Ahmed al-Shareh reached an agreement on March 10 aimed at integrating Kurdish institutions into the Syrian state. Several rounds of negotiations have taken place since then, but discussions have stalled.
"It is essential that negotiations between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian authorities progress in good faith," urged Emmanuel Macron on Saturday.
According to the French president, the two leaders also discussed "exchanges with Israel" on Saturday, expressing their "support for cooperation on the stabilization of the Syrian-Lebanese border."
Ahmed al-Shareh, who long led the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham armed group, which emerged from the former al-Qaeda branch in Syria, made his first official visit to a Western country in May to Paris. This visit sparked strong criticism of Emmanuel Macron in France from the right and far right.
La Croıx
