The U.S. has outlined a series of conditions for Syria in exchange for partial sanctions relief, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The demands, presented in an in-person meeting on March 18, included the removal of foreign fighters from key governing positions, the destruction of remaining chemical weapons and cooperation on counterterrorism efforts.
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Syria engagement in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Natasha Franceschi, delivered the list to Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani on the sidelines of a Syria donor conference in Brussels.
This meeting marked the first direct high-level interaction between Damascus and Washington since President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, according to the sources.
Among the key conditions, the U.S. requested Syria to ensure that foreign fighters are not appointed to senior roles in the government.
Additionally, Washington called for the appointment of a liaison to aid in efforts to locate missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice, who vanished in Syria over a decade ago.
In return for meeting these demands, the U.S. would offer some sanctions relief, including a two-year extension of an exemption for transactions with Syrian government institutions and potentially additional exemptions.
The U.S. would also issue a statement supporting Syria’s territorial integrity, the sources said.
