President Al-Sharaa’s Historic U.S. Visit Marks Start of Strategic Partnership

Washington: U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack hailed Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa's historic visit to Washington this week as a 'turning point in the strategic partnership' between the two countries, emphasizing that the repeal of the Caesar Act would be a key step toward Syria's prosperity. According to National News Agency - Lebanon, Barrack expressed on his X account that this week represents a pivotal moment in the modern history of the Middle East and Syria's transformation from isolation to partnership. It was noted that President al-Sharaa's visit to the United States marked the first by a Syrian head of state since Syria's independence in 1946. President Donald J. Trump indicated on May 13th that he would remove all U.S. sanctions to provide Syria with an opportunity for renewal. During a meeting at the White House, Presidents Trump and al-Sharaa agreed on the importance of moving from estrangement to engagement, providing Syria and its people a chance at renewal. Barrack highlighted President al-Sharaa's commitment to joining the D-ISIS coalition as a significant shift for Syria, transitioning from a source of terrorism to a partner in counterterrorism. Syria's commitment extends to reconstruction efforts and contributing to regional stability by actively assisting in dismantling terrorist networks like ISIS, IRGC, Hamas, and Hezbollah. The U.S. envoy also noted a trilateral session involving Secretary Rubio, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. This session focused on the next phase of the U.S.-Turkish-Syrian framework, which includes integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces into Syria's economic, defense, and civic structure, redefining regional relations, and addressing Lebanese border issues. Barrack emphasized President Trump's leadership in establishing a 'security first, prosperity next' approach, aiming to replace past shadows with future promise. The full repeal of the Caesar Act is described as the next critical step, urging Con gress to empower the new Syrian government and enable the Syrian people and their neighbors to thrive.