European Union member states agreed Tuesday to fully lift economic sanctions on Syria, in an effort to support the country’s recovery following the fall of Bashar Assad, according to diplomats.
Ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states struck a preliminary agreement for the move, which should be formally unveiled by foreign ministers meeting in Brussels later in the day, diplomats said.
The decision from the European Union comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that Washington was lifting its sanctions against Syria.
The country’s new rulers have been clamoring for relief from the crushing international punishment imposed after Assad’s crackdown on opponents spiraled into civil war.
EU diplomats said the agreement should see sanctions cutting Syrian banks off from the global system and freezing central bank assets lifted.
But diplomats said the bloc was intending to impose new individual sanctions on those responsible for stirring ethnic tensions, following deadly attacks targeting ethnic minorities.
Other measures targeting the Assad regime and prohibiting the sale of weapons or equipment that could be used to repress civilians were set to remain in place.
The latest move from the EU comes after it took a first step in February of suspending some sanctions on key Syrian economic sectors.
Officials said those measures could be reimposed if Syria’s new leaders break promises to respect the rights of minorities and move toward democracy.
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