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ISTANBUL

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani discussed with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Wednesday ways of activating early recovery and reconstruction plans following the bloc’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria.

In a phone call with the European diplomat, Shaibani expressed his appreciation for the EU’s decision to fully lift economic sanctions on Syria, calling it a “positive indication towards boosting ties of cooperation and supporting the paths of stability,” the Foreign Ministry said in a readout.

Shaibani and Kallas agreed on joint action for future steps and the importance of coordination and mutual understanding regarding political, humanitarian, and economic issues, the ministry said.

The discussion also covered “the importance of activating early recovery and reconstruction plans through the close cooperation between the Syrian government and the EU to ensure an effective response to basic needs and infrastructure support,” it added.

The ministry said the Syrian minister and European diplomat highlighted the necessity of coordinating the dignified and voluntary return of Syrian refugees with the EU and other neighboring countries, including Türkiye, Jordan, and Lebanon.

On Tuesday, the EU decided to lift its economic sanctions on Syria to support the Syrian people in rebuilding their country after over a decade of civil war.

The EU’s decision came a week after US President Donald Trump’s directives for the Treasury Department on lifting the sanctions that were imposed on Syria in 1979 and expanded after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in late January.