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Syrian membership in political alliances is premature, politician says

Mohammed Sabra emphasized that "Syria, in the initial phase, needs to focus on rebuilding what was destroyed during the war"

TUNIS, December 13. /TASS/. Discussing Syria's membership in any political or economic unions is premature, former head of the Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee Mohammed Sabra said.

"I do not think it is possible to discuss joining economic or political alliances in the near future," he told a TASS correspondent, emphasizing that "Syria, in the initial phase, needs to focus on rebuilding what was destroyed during the war."

"This reconstruction phase may take five to ten years. During this time, we will have a democratically elected national government and a parliament, which will be responsible for deciding on Syria's membership in political and economic alliances," he added.

Mohammed Sabra headed the High Negotiations Committee, which was established by the Syrian opposition following a unification conference in Riyadh at the end of 2015, and represented the body in the inter-Syrian negotiations in Geneva.

In late November, armed opposition units launched a large-scale offensive on positions held by Syrian government forces. On December 8, they entered Damascus, prompting government troops to withdraw from the capital. Bashar Assad stepped down as Syrian president and left the country, issuing instructions to ensure a peaceful transition of power.

On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the so-called Syrian Salvation Government in the Idlib Province since January 2024, announced his appointment as head of Syria’s interim government. This transitional period will last until March 1, 2025.