Syrian Transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with US Congressman Cory Mills from the Republican Party at the presidential palace in Damascus on Friday, April 18.
Photos released today by the Syrian Presidency showed al-Sharaa’s meeting with the congressman, without providing further details on the content of the meeting.
Reuters reported that Mills discussed US sanctions and Iran with al-Sharaa during a 90-minute meeting on Friday evening, according to an unnamed member of the delegation.
The source told Reuters that another congress member, Marlin Stutzman, is scheduled to meet with al-Sharaa today, Saturday.
In response to questions about his meeting with al-Sharaa, who is under US sanctions, Stutzman said, “We should not be afraid to talk to anyone,” citing examples of the Trump administration’s dealings with leaders from Iran and North Korea.
Congress members Mills and Stutzman arrived in the Syrian capital, Damascus, yesterday, accompanied by members of the Syrian community in the United States, in a visit that marks the first of its kind since the fall of the previous Syrian regime.
According to The New York Times, Mills said upon arrival, “It is important for us to come here and listen directly. There is a huge opportunity here to help rebuild the country and to help achieve stability throughout the region.”
According to Mills, President Donald Trump is focused on a comprehensive policy aimed at achieving stability in the Middle East and expanding the Abraham Accords (referring to the peace agreements brokered by Washington between Arab countries and Israel in recent years).
The two US congress members toured parts of the Syrian capital destroyed by war and met with Christian religious leaders, and they plan to meet with other government ministers, according to Reuters.
Stutzman told Reuters, “There is an opportunity here; these opportunities only come once in a lifetime. I don’t want Syria to fall into the embrace of China or return to the embrace of Russia and Iran.”
A video recording of Congressman Mills on Mount Qasioun in Damascus showed him saying, “This is the mountain that (referring to the ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad) used to fire artillery while watching from his fortress (referring to the presidential palace).”
He added, “The Syrian government will turn this place into a space for families where they can see the cities and enjoy parks and have a good time.”
US conditions
This visit comes after US conditions were presented to the Syrian government for “building trust” between Damascus and Washington, aimed at achieving a partial lifting of sanctions on Syria, according to The Washington Post. Eight conditions were outlined, including:
- Allowing the US government to conduct “counter-terrorism” operations on Syrian territory against anyone deemed a threat to national security by Washington.
- Issuing a public official declaration prohibiting all militias and Palestinian political activities on Syrian territory, as well as the deportation of members of these groups to “reassure Israeli concerns.”
- Issuing a statement declaring its support for the operations of the International Coalition in Syria aimed at combating the Islamic State group in the country.
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