Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg stated that both his country and the European Union should engage in dialogue with the Syrian caretaker government, emphasizing the importance of gaining a clear understanding of the situation in Syria.
In an interview with the Austrian newspaper Der Standard, published on Wednesday, December 18, Schallenberg remarked, “At the European Union level, we must learn from how the Union addressed past crises, such as Afghanistan and Libya, which were largely handled by other countries rather than the Union itself.”
He added, “I am encouraged by the need to rethink our policy towards Syria. We must avoid the mistake of backing ourselves into a corner. Yes, we can be pleased that Assad is gone, but we need to carefully assess who the new rulers are.”
Embassy Operations and EU Role
Schallenberg noted that Austria has not closed its embassy in Damascus. Currently, two staff members are operating from the embassy, while the rest of the team is based in Beirut. He added that the embassy is expected to resume full operations as soon as the security situation permits.
The minister also voiced support for appointing an EU special envoy to Syria to lead discussions on behalf of the Union. “The EU cannot afford to wait,” he said, pointing out that other nations, including Russia, China, Turkey, and the United States, are already taking similar steps.
Regarding proposals for some European countries to re-evaluate their stance toward Bashar al-Assad’s regime—a position Austria has been seen as advocating—Schallenberg denied that this was about normalizing or whitewashing Assad’s actions. Instead, he argued that the EU’s Syria policy has not yielded meaningful improvements over the past 13 years.
He also highlighted the EU’s struggle to deliver humanitarian aid effectively to those in need, noting that millions remain displaced within Syria while many others have fled to neighboring countries.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
