It would be the first move to start fulfilling Trump's announcement last week to ease heavy U.S. financial penalties targeting Syria's former autocratic rulers
A boy walks under Palestinian flags hanging outside buildings damaged during Syria's 14-year civil war in the Yarmuk refugee camp in southern Damascus (LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump's administration is granting Syria a waiver from one crippling set of sanctions as well as easing restrictions on businesses as a first step in his pledge to end a half-century of penalties .
The moves announced by the Treasury Department on Friday follows Trump’s announcement last week that the U.S. would ease heavy financial penalties targeting Syria’s former autocratic rulers — in a bid to give the new interim government a better chance of survival after a 13-year civil war .
President Donald Trump's advisers are proposing that he grant Syria a six-month waiver from one crippling set of sanctions as well as ease restrictions on businesses as a first step in his pledge to end a half-century of penalties , three U.S. officials said Friday.
The initial step is expected as soon as Friday or on Tuesday, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
In addition to a temporary waiver on a tough set of sanctions imposed by Congress six years ago, officials also support broadening Treasury Department rules setting out what foreign businesses can do in Syria , the officials said. They said there could still be changes to what is announced in the initial round of relief.
For more permanent relief, administration officials are debating the extent to which Syria’s transitional government should be required to meet tough security conditions.
“The Syria sanctions are a complex web of statutes, executive actions and United Nations Security Council resolutions that have to be unwound thoughtfully and cautiously,” White House National Security Council spokesman Max Bluestein said Thursday.
The moves announced by the Treasury Department on Friday follows Trump’s announcement last week that the U.S. would ease heavy financial penalties targeting Syria’s former autocratic rulers — in a bid to give the new interim government a better chance of survival after a 13-year civil war .
President Donald Trump's advisers are proposing that he grant Syria a six-month waiver from one crippling set of sanctions as well as ease restrictions on businesses as a first step in his pledge to end a half-century of penalties , three U.S. officials said Friday.
The initial step is expected as soon as Friday or on Tuesday, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
In addition to a temporary waiver on a tough set of sanctions imposed by Congress six years ago, officials also support broadening Treasury Department rules setting out what foreign businesses can do in Syria , the officials said. They said there could still be changes to what is announced in the initial round of relief.
For more permanent relief, administration officials are debating the extent to which Syria’s transitional government should be required to meet tough security conditions.
“The Syria sanctions are a complex web of statutes, executive actions and United Nations Security Council resolutions that have to be unwound thoughtfully and cautiously,” White House National Security Council spokesman Max Bluestein said Thursday.
( Source : AP )
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