The Middle East newspaper reveals undeclared US-European meetings against the Syrian regime

ARK News: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper said that a series of unannounced US-European meetings, held in London during the past days, to "coordinate efforts to adopt the policy of maximum pressure and impose the most severe economic and diplomatic measures" against the Syrian regime.

These meetings come at the suggestion of the United States, in order to "extract concessions" from Russia on the Syrian file, in parallel to the meetings held by the American envoy on Syrian affairs, James Jeffrey, with European officials in Brussels.

According to the newspaper, Jeffrey accompanied experts in economic sanctions to Brussels to persuade the European Union to keep pace with the campaign of American measures that will be imposed on the Syrian regime, according to the “Caesar” law.

Washington wants to unite the European position to move behind its position in providing pressure tools on Russia, to sit at the table on Syria's political future and the Iranian role in it. The basket of measures includes imposing economic sanctions against businessmen and entities in the system, as Washington will issue a new list to impose sanctions on Syrian businessmen associated with the regime, who have benefited from the war.

Last Monday, representatives of European countries approved a draft list that included (8) names of businessmen and two entities associated with the regime, one name mentioned among them was deleted in a previous draft, as one of the participants in the regime delegation for the meetings of the Constitutional Committee.

The United States aims to unify the European position in not normalizing with the regime, not to reopen embassies in Damascus or contribute to reconstruction, and "not to give up these papers and the necessity of committing to a single line" by pressing the regime.

The newspaper added that the visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to London, and Jeffrey to Brussels, aims to "bring European countries to the American position, and the harmony of the position of the two parties."

Source: Al Sharq Al-Awsat

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