Inclusive Interim Government in Syria Will Aid in Lifting of Sanctions, Says UN Envoy

A credible process leading to a new transitional government involving all strands of Syrian society is the best way for the country's caretaker administration to secure a smooth lifting of sanctions, the UN special envoy Geir Pedersen told the UN security council yesterday.

- Patrick Wintour

Giving his assessment of how the government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the head of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was meeting its commitment to inclusiveness, Pedersen said it had huge opportunities but also risked missteps.

"Decisions taken now will determine the future for a long time to come. There are great opportunities and real dangers," he told a special security council briefing in New York yesterday. The US has lifted some sanctions for six months and the EU may do the same later this month.

Treading carefully so as not to damage links with a government of contradictions and factions, Pedersen said many Syrians had received signals of inclusiveness but that there were concerns about a lack of transparency.