The Reasons and Motives for Delegations Flocking to Syria
(Translated)

News:

After Assad fled, and Ahmad al-Sharaa assumed the presidency of the civil administration, Syria witnessed an active diplomatic surge, as delegations came one after the other. The French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and her German counterpart visited the country as representatives of the European Union. A high-level US delegation also visited, headed by the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, accompanied by the Presidential Envoy for Near Eastern Affairs and Advisor Daniel Rubinstein, who was recently assigned to lead the US State Department’s efforts in Syria. A delegation from the United Kingdom and delegations from Arab countries such as Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and others also visited the country.

Comment:

To understand the reasons and motives behind this surge, it is necessary to examine the meetings that took place, the statements that were issued, the conditions that were set, the demands that were made, and the threats that were implied. The French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, began his visit by meeting with the spiritual leaders of the Christian sects, and noted during a speech in Damascus that his country would stand by the representatives of civil society and Christians in Syria. During the speech, he offered the new Syrian administration technical and legal assistance to draft a constitution for the country.

In turn, the spokesman for the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Christophe Lemoine said that his country’s assessment of the new Syrian authorities would be based on their actions, not on speeches or declarations of intent.

Barrot, who met with al-Sharaa on Friday with the German Foreign Minister, said that there are sanctions that we will discuss with our European partners and that can be lifted, but it is clear that this depends on the speed with which our expectations for Syria, with regard to women and security, are taken into account.

After the meeting, the German foreign minister said she had told the leader of the new Syrian administration that Europe would not provide money to “new Islamic structures.” She added that all sects must be involved in the reconstruction process, stressing the need for reliable security guarantees for the Kurds.

The US administration called for the formation of a government that represents all components in Syria, and said that its potential actions towards Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the new administration in Syria would be determined by actions on the ground, not words.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that there is a need for actual, tangible steps to build an inclusive, non-sectarian government in Syria. He added in a podcast interview with Bloomberg that Washington wants to make clear to HTS that recognition comes with certain expectations, and that everyone needs to see actual steps to build an inclusive government, a transition leading to elections, and democratic rule, noting that his country is considering all the powers it has regarding sanctions.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov summed up the intentions of these countries by saying: “The Western powers are not interested in the unity of Syria as much as they are interested in obtaining the largest possible share of influence, territory, and resources.”

A close examination of all the previous stances leads to one conclusion: these countries are keen that the new civil administration in Syria does not deviate from the international order, and that they put the Islam they raised as a slogan behind them, and that they close the door to jihad that they opened, and that they lower the banner of the Khilafah (Caliphate) that they raised. But we tell them: Islam is our religion, and jihad is the pinnacle of its summit, and the Khilafah is the promise of our Lord, the Almighty, who said:

[وَعَدَ اللهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمْ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْناً يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئاً]

“Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will certainly make them successors in the land, as He did with those before them; and will surely establish for them their faith which He has chosen for them; and will indeed change their fear into security—provided that they worship Me, associating nothing with Me. But whoever disbelieves after this promise, it is they who will be the rebellious.” [TMQ Surah An-Nur 24:55].

The Khilafah is the glad tidings of our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as mentioned in Musnad al-Imam Ahmad,

«ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةً عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ»

“Then there will be a Khilafah on the Method of Prophethood.” And it will happen, by the Lord of the Kaaba, and on that day the believers will rejoice in Allah’s victory.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Engineer Hasabullah Al-Nour – Wilayah Sudan