Austria Calls for a Reorientation of EU Policy Towards Syria

PeopleOther ♦ Published: July 23, 2024; 11:26 ♦ (Vindobona)

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg is calling for a fundamental reorientation of EU policy towards Syria and is receiving support from seven of his EU colleagues from Italy, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Greece, Slovenia, and Slovakia.

Austria's Foreign Minister Schallenberg also justified the change in policy with a view to the people who have been fleeing from Syria to Europe since 2015 due to the civil war in the country. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons/ Rebecca Harms / CC BY-SA 2.0 AT DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/at/deed.en)

In a joint letter presented at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, the eight foreign ministers call for a new European initiative to create the conditions for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees. The main focus here is on rapprochement with the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Schallenberg emphasizes that the previous EU Syria policy, which was established in 2017, no longer does justice to current developments, as reported by “DieWelt”. “We must finally put Syria back on the EU's agenda as a top priority. If we fail to do so, the consequences for the civilian population in Syria, for the neighboring countries in the region, for the Mediterranean partners, and ultimately for Europe will be catastrophic,” said Schallenberg.

Consolidation of the Assad regime and normalization in the Arab world

Schallenberg points out that the regime under Bashar al-Assad is firmly in the saddle and that the country has normalized its relations with other Arab countries. The EU line established in 2017 no longer takes this development into account. It is now time for the EU to return to a pragmatic relationship.

The Arab world has readmitted Assad to the Arab League, which is a sign of recognition of his position of power, as reported by DiePresse. Schallenberg argues that the EU can no longer avoid this reality. The sanctions and isolation of the regime to date have not led to a change of power and have not improved the humanitarian situation.

UNHCR warns against hasty steps

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) shares the problem analysis of the eight foreign ministers, as reported by “DiePresse”, but warns against softening the protection status of Syrian refugees. Filippo Grandi, the head of the UNHCR, emphasized at a Syria conference at the end of May that it is still necessary to offer refugees protection and to support the host countries.

Grandi emphasized that the UNHCR's position remains clear and consistent and is based on international protection standards and the concerns of the refugees, not on political expediency. According to Grandi, ultimately only the Syrian government can remove the obstacles to the return of the refugees.

Initiative for dialog with Assad

Schallenberg and his colleagues suggest fundamentally rethinking the EU's current policy towards Syria and engaging in dialog with the Assad regime. This reorientation could enable more humanitarian development work, reduce illegal migration, and facilitate the repatriation of Syrian refugees.

In a joint letter, as reported by "DerStandard", with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Schallenberg also justifies the policy change he is calling for concerning the people who have had to flee to Europe from Syria because of the civil war. With 13.8 million internally displaced persons and refugees, Syria continues to be the cause of the world's largest displacement crisis, the effects of which are also being felt in Europe.

The EU's policy towards Syria to date has been characterized by sanctions against the Assad regime and the denial of official relations, but this has not yet led to a change of power or a significant improvement in the humanitarian situation. The “non-paper” (informal policy proposals at the EU level) presented on Monday is also supported by Italy, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Greece, Slovenia, and Slovakia.

Among other things, it proposes greater equal treatment of the various parties involved in the civil war at a diplomatic level. In addition, the EU should appoint a Syria envoy to maintain contact with all sides. Furthermore, the EU should work towards a situation in the country in which the “safe, voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees” is possible, “on the assumption that security guarantees are the responsibility of the regime”.

Challenges and Implementation

Schallenberg emphasizes that the EU must no longer close its eyes to reality. “As bitter as it is, the Assad regime is still firmly in the saddle with the help of Iran and Russia,” Schallenberg said in a press release. The EU must adapt its policy accordingly.

The required policy change should help to enable the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Syrian refugees, whereby the Assad regime is responsible for providing security guarantees. Schallenberg argues that these goals cannot be achieved without a dialog with the regime.

Whether and how these proposals can be implemented remains to be seen. It is questionable whether the EU is prepared to initiate this change of course and thus possibly make a contribution to solving the Syrian refugee crisis. The discussion on Syria policy will certainly continue to be intense, both at a political and humanitarian level.