“Sweden is ready to help address these challenges, while continuing to be clear in its expectations of the transitional government. The rights of all Syrians must be respected for a peaceful and inclusive transitional process,” the Swedish foreign ministry told Rudaw.
Stockholm further called for stability in conflict-ridden Syria “if the country is to be free and democratic and for all Syrians to have their rights respected.”
“Going forward, the process should be led by the Syrians, and the agreement between the transitional government and Kurdish groups in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will hopefully lead to more stability and reduced divisions,” the ministry added.
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF chief Mazloum Abdi signed a landmark agreement on March 10 to integrate the SDF into the state apparatus. The agreement recognizes the Kurds as an integral part of Syria, includes a countrywide ceasefire, and stipulates the return of displaced Syrians to their hometowns.
Sweden’s embassy in Syria has operated from Beirut since 2012 for security reasons. The ministry said that while embassy staff regularly travel to Damascus, “it is still too early to say if or when the Embassy can return to operating in Damascus.”
According to data provided by the ministry, Stockholm has provided approximately $400 million in humanitarian assistance to Syria since the beginning of the brutal civil war in 2011.
Following a swift offensive, a coalition of opposition groups led by the Islamist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in early December toppled the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. In late January, HTS leader Sharaa was appointed as Syria’s interim president.
After his appointment, Sharaa pledged to form an “inclusive transitional government” committed to safeguarding the rights of Syria’s ethnic and religious groups.
The international community has expressed concern that the new Islamist authorities in Damascus may impose strict Islamic rule in Syria, threatening the country’s minority groups, such as Kurds, Druze, Christians, and Alawites.
Niyaz Mustafa contributed to this report.
