UK presses Syria’s interim government to guarantee safety of all Syrians

Britain has urged Syria’s interim government to guarantee the safety of all Syrians following “horrific” reports of large numbers of civilian deaths.

Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer made a statement to the House of Commons following clashes between Syrian security forces and insurgents of the minority Alawite community loyal to the deposed Bashar Assad government in the country’s coastal region.

The death toll for the worst fighting since the end of the 13-year civil war in December surpassed 1,000 people, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Mr Falconer told the Commons: “Events in Syria over the past few days are deeply concerning. We’re working as quickly as possible to establish some reliable sources of information – what exactly happened and who was responsible.

“But reports that large numbers of civilians have been killed in coastal areas in ongoing violence are horrific.”

Mr Falconer said the interim authorities in Damascus “must ensure the protection of all Syrians and set out a clear path to transitional justice.”

He added: “This is a critical moment for Syria and for the interim authorities to demonstrate their intents, to promote stability and to govern in the interests of all Syrians.

“Since the fall of Assad on December 8, our priority has been to support a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition, one that leads to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.

“We’ve been clear that anyone seeking a role in governing Syria should demonstrate a commitment to the protection of human rights, unfettered access for humanitarian aid, safe destruction of Assad’s chemical weapon stockpiles and combat terrorism and extremism.”

Mr Falconer said the UK is engaging “privately and regularly” with the interim authorities “at every level”, including through ministers and the UK’s Syria envoy.

The interim government is made up of members of Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Mr Falconer said: “The violence over the weekend demonstrates that more needs to be done to bring Syria’s different groups together and we urge the interim authorities to urgently establish a clear process and timeline for the next phase of the transition.”

The UK last week announced it was lifting asset freezes on 24 Syrian entities it said were previously used by the Assad regime to “fund the oppression of the Syrian people”, including the Central Bank of Syria, Syrian Arab Airlines and energy companies.

Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said the reports of deaths over the weekend were “troubling” before she asked: “Does the violence in recent days change the Government’s assessment of the merits of lifting these kinds of sanctions?

“And before he lifted those particular sanctions, did he consult with the US and European allies as well as partners in the region? Were the sanctions lifted at the request of HTS and are there plans to lift further sanctions?”

Mr Falconer, in his reply, said: “The 24 entities where the lift on sanctions came into place on Friday are very much focused on the economic function of Syria.”

He said there is a “serious economic crisis” in Syria, adding: “We want to protect the Syrian people from the consequences of that crisis and so the relaxation of the sanctions is very much focused on allowing normal Syrians and the humanitarian actors to get on with their lives, but we will keep all further sanctions under close review.”

Mr Falconer said HTS must be “judged on their actions, not their words” as he noted there have been “some very welcome commitments” from the interim government on a range of issues.