Hangin' Out in the City of Love: Macron urges protection for Syrian minorities, discussed lifting EU sanctions with al-Shaara
Gathering in Paris: Macron Advocates Safeguards for Minorities in Syria - Gathering in Paris: Macron Urges al-Sharara to Safeguard Syrian Minorities
Emmanuel Macron, the French prez, ain't here to lecture, but he's riled up 'cause of the atrocities hurled against religious minorities in Syria. He's all about holdin' up the al-Shaara government's feet to the fire, demandin' accountability for these acts of barbarity and askin' the EU to slap sanctions on the perpetrators.
Al-Shaara stressed that his top priority is the safety and well-being of all Syrians. He also echoed his call for sanctions against his own country to kick the bucket, assertin' that they now target the people instead of the foul ex-leader, Bashar al-Assad. This little dance was Al-Shaara's first European voyage since takin' up chief honcho duties.
Macron hinted that EU sanctions against Syria may loosen up if the political scene stabilizes. He suggested a sliding scale approach to liftin' the sanctions piece by piece, in accordance with the developments unfoldin' on the ground. Macron also put in a request for Uncle Sam to lighten up on the sanctions against Syria under certain conditions. He never forgets to remind the Yanks to keep the fight against IS jihadist militia in Syria fiercely lit.
New Syrian leadership claimed they'd stand tall as the protectors of minorities within the country. But news of massacres in predominantly Alawite zones got the world's attention in March, and last week saw a smackdown between government troops and the Druze minority. These skirmishes sparked a load of criticism, with dozens of Druze, Alawites, Christians, and Sunnis protestin' in Paris. They ain't havin' it and chanted, "Scram, al-Joulani!" Back in 2017, al-Joulani was al-Shaara's moniker as he led the HTS Islamist militia.
Al-Shaara and his foreign minister met with the fella known as Caesar before he sat down with Macron, way back in Paris. Once upon a time, this Caesar fella snuck out of Syria in 2013 with a USB stick loaded with over 53,000 photos of torture victims. These images depicted the grim results of thousands of Syrian prisoners bearin' the marks of gruesome tortures. Experts verified the photos, and based on Caesar's testimony before the U.S. Congress, Washington slapped sanctions on Bashar al-Assad and crew in 2020. In Germany, the Netherlands, and France, these images were the smoking gun in trials involving murder and torture by the Syrian state. Poor Caesar used to hide under an alias, but he revealed the goods in a cozy comfy chat with the Qatari television station Al Jazeera in February.
- Paris
- Emmanuel Macron
- Syria
- EU
- Bashar al-Assad
- Jihadists
- Alawites
- Crimes
- Syria's allies
- Druze
- Caesar
- U.S. Army
- United States sanctions
- Emmanuel Macron, the French president, held a meeting in Paris, urging protection for Syrian minorities and discussing the possibility of lifting EU sanctions with al-Shaara.
- Al-Shaara, the Syrian leader, stressed the importance of safety and well-being for all Syrians and called for the removal of EU sanctions against his own country during his first European voyage.
- Macron suggested a sliding scale approach to lifting EU sanctions on Syria, contingent upon the stabilization of the political scene in Syria.
- The new Syrian leadership claimed they would protect minorities within the country, but recent reports of massacres in Alawite zones and clashes with the Druze minority sparked criticism.
- Prior to his meeting with Macron, al-Shaara and his foreign minister met with Caesar, a former Syrian military photographer who leaked over 53,000 images of torture victims in 2013, leading to US sanctions against Bashar al-Assad and his administration.
