French Foreign Minister Says Syrian President Should Be Tried

French Foreign Minister Colonna said Syrian President al-Assad should be tried after "hundreds of deaths" and the "use of chemical weapons" in the civil war.

Asked in a television interview on May 23 whether she wanted to put Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on trial, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said "the answer is yes." She added that "the fight against crime, against impunity, is part of French foreign policy."

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attends a meeting in Damascus in 2020. Photo: AFP — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attends a meeting in Damascus in 2020. Photo: *AFP*

The comments come as relations between Syria and regional countries are warming after more than a decade of tension. Mr. Assad arrived in Saudi Arabia on May 18 to attend an Arab League summit, 12 years after Syria was suspended from the organization.

However, Ms. Colonna said Paris would not change its policy toward the Syrian leader. "We must remember who Bashar al-Assad is. He is a leader who has been in opposition to his own people for more than 10 years," the French foreign minister said.

She further stressed that the European Union (EU) certainly has no plans to lift sanctions against the Syrian government.

"As long as he does not change, does not commit to reconciliation, to fighting terrorism, to fighting drugs, and does not fulfill his commitments, there is no reason for us to change our attitude towards him," said Ms. Colonna. "I think he must change, not France's attitude."

Several governments and international organizations have accused Mr. Assad’s government of using chemical weapons against civilians. In January, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said that the Syrian air force dropped canisters of poison gas in Douma, then one of the last opposition strongholds near the capital, in 2018, killing 43 people. Damascus has repeatedly denied allegations of chemical weapons.

Twelve years ago, the Arab League suspended Syria from membership in protest over its handling of protests in the country. The protests turned into a civil war that continues to this day, killing more than 500,000 people and displacing millions. Earlier this month, the Arab League readmitted Syria, ending its policy of isolation of President Assad.

Countries in the region once wanted to topple President Assad, but gradually changed their stance as he remained in power and regained lost territory with crucial support from Russia and Iran. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) re-established relations with Syria in 2018 and has recently led efforts to reintegrate Damascus into the region.

Diplomatic activity between countries and Damascus increased after the earthquake that hit Syria and Türkiye in February, prompting many parties to provide humanitarian aid to the country.

However, not all countries in the region have been quick to mend ties with the Assad regime. Qatar has said it will not normalize relations with Syria until there is a solution to the crisis.

The US also strongly opposes the readmission of Syria to the Arab League. "We do not believe that Syria deserves readmission to the Arab League at this time. We will not normalize relations with the Assad regime nor support our allies and partners in doing so," US State Department Vedant Patel said on May 8.

Huyen Le (According to AFP )

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