Belgium is sending an envoy to the Syrian capital Damascus, the outgoing Federal Government announced on Friday morning.
The regime of Syrian dictator Bachar al-Assad was toppled after an unexpectedly rapid advance by the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in early December.
"We are sending an envoy to Damascus to talk to Syria's new leaders," explained Belgium's Foreign Minister Bernard Quintin (MR). "The idea is for our diplomat to hold talks on Syria's future. We need to convey our messages and make clear our expectations for rebuilding the country."
That message includes that the transition in Syria must be peaceful and inclusive: Quintin previously stressed that the new regime must respect human rights and international law, protect all minorities and show respect for women.
"In the coming weeks and months, the new leaders must show to us, but also to the rest of the world, that they want to rebuild Syria based on these principles. We will judge the new rulers by their actions and not just words," he said.
Like other countries, Belgium hopes for a stable and secure Syria, first and foremost for the Syrian people, Quintin stressed. "And that in time, Syrian refugees in Europe and Belgium will be able to return to their country."
'Reunite and rebuild'
Earlier this week, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced that the EU would reopen its diplomatic representation in Damascus. Other countries also want to "take stock of the situation." While HTS is on the United Nations terror list it appears to be adopting a more moderate tone than before.
When arriving at the EU summit on Thursday, Belgium's outgoing Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) stressed the importance of ensuring that Syria does not become "a place where everyone conducts their conflicts on someone else's territory."
The EU has clearly emphasised that the fall of the Assad regime represents a "historic opportunity to reunite and rebuild the country". But the terms of European participation in this reconstruction remain unclear.
The bloc is also sending a diplomat to Damascus, Michael Ohnmacht, to start establishing contact with Syria's new authorities. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kallas said that Europe must "update its approach and in particular consider lifting the sanctions regime" against the Syrian State.
Meanwhile, three US diplomats arrived in Damascus on Friday for meetings with the new Syrian authorities. It is the first contact between Washington and Damascus since the Syrian civil war broke out 13 years ago.
This aerial picture shows a bullet-riddled portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Credit: Belga/AFP
The Americans scheduled meetings with representatives HTS and are also planning talks with Syrian civil society to "discuss their vision for the country's future and how the United States can support them," Washington said.
With the HTS delegates, the Americans want to discuss the "transitional principles" that Western and Arab countries and Turkey agreed on at a summit in Jordan's Aqaba last weekend. Among other things, they call for the rights of all Syrians, including women and minorities, to be respected.
In interviews, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani has already indicated that the group wants to work for an inclusive transition and is not out to disadvantage non-Muslims.
Former US President Barack Obama placed a precursor to HTS on the terror list but that does not mean US diplomats are not allowed to speak to the group. HTS wants the label to be lifted while Washington says it is monitoring the group's actions.
Update: This article was updated at 13:40 to include a statement by the Beglian Foreign Affairs Minister.
