Foreign Ministry evacuates 26 Spaniards from Syria and Albares calls for Al Golani to be tried “for his actions”

Eduardo González The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, announced this Monday the evacuation of the 26 Spaniards, relatives of Spaniards and workers of the Spanish Embassy in Damascus and has asked, regarding the events in Syria, that “it not be assumed that, automatically, a dictatorship is followed by a democracy” and that Abu Mohamed al Golani, the rebel leader who has overthrown Bashar al Assad, be judged “for his actions”. “The convoy is currently doing the administrative procedures on the Lebanese border. It has already left Syria”, declared the minister during his intervention in the program Las Mañanas de RNE. The evacuees have been received in Lebanon by members of the Spanish Embassy in Beirut, “which was fully activated since yesterday when we decided to start this evacuation from Damascus”, he added. "The convoy with 26 Spaniards, Syrian relatives and staff from our Embassy evacuated from Damascus has just successfully crossed from Syria to Lebanon," Albares later declared on social media. Albares also said that the fall of a dictatorship, such as that of the ousted Bashar al Assad, “is always good news,” but warned that “we must not assume that, automatically, a dictatorship is followed by a democracy.” In this context, he said, “a ceasefire in Gaza is more necessary than ever now” because, “otherwise, it will not be possible to achieve stability in Syria.” Al Assad was overthrown this weekend, after more than fourteen years of civil war, following an offensive by rebel and jihadist forces led by the Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) organization. “Let us hope that the Syria of the future, starting today, will be a Syria without external interference, a sovereign Syria, but we will also see the first steps because that Syria, in addition to being sovereign, must have full effective control of its territory and above all must include everyone within what is a very plural society,” said Albares. Regarding the past links between HTS and its leader, Abu Mohamed al Golani, with Al Qaeda, Albares warned that they will have to be “judged by their actions” and expressed his wish that “as soon as possible, this military movement will give way to a political movement and that any decision, any step taken by the Syrians will be peaceful.” “I assume that they will very quickly try to get in touch with the international community and we have to be very clear with them about what is expected,” he added. In this regard, the leader of Podemos, former minister Irene Montero, warned this Monday through the X network that “the US and Europe legitimize the seizure of power by the heirs of Al Qaeda in Syria while Israel illegally appropriates the Syrian territory that it already occupied.” “It is urgent to respect international law, guarantee rights and sovereignty in Syria and break the complicity with the genocidaires,” she added. “The fall of the Assad regime in Syria leaves 23 million people under the control of fundamentalist Salafist groups led by the former Al Qaeda, and supported by Turkey, the US and several Western powers. That Syria has de facto lost its sovereignty seems evident,” Podemos International declared on the same social network. Iran For its part, the Iranian Embassy in Madrid issued a statement on Monday from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs in which it “reiterates Iran’s principled position regarding respect for the unity, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, emphasizing that determining the future of Syria and making decisions about its destiny are the exclusive responsibilities of the Syrian people, without destructive interference or external impositions.” “Achieving this requires the immediate cessation of military conflicts, the prevention of terrorist activities and the beginning of a national dialogue involving all sectors of Syrian society to establish an inclusive governance structure that represents all Syrians,” it continues. “The Islamic Republic of Iran maintains its support for international mechanisms, especially United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, as a basis for advancing a political process in Syria. In addition, Iran continues to collaborate constructively with the United Nations in this effort,” it adds. “The Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighting Syria’s role as an important and influential country in Western Asia, will spare no effort to help establish security and stability in Syria. To this end, it will continue consultations with all influential parties, especially those in the region,” the statement continued. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to closely monitor developments in Syria and the region. Based on the actions and behavior of key players in Syria’s political and security landscape, Iran will adopt its approaches and positions appropriately and responsibly,” the statement concluded. EU For her part, the High Representative on behalf of the EU, Kaja Kallas, said on Monday that “it is essential to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria and respect its independence, sovereignty, as well as state institutions, and reject all forms of extremism.” “Today we stand in solidarity with all Syrians, both in the country and in the diaspora, who are full of hope, but also with those who fear an uncertain future. Everyone must have the opportunity to reunify, stabilise and rebuild their country, restore justice and ensure accountability,” Kallas said in a statement. “We urge all actors to avoid further acts of violence, to ensure the protection of civilians and to respect international law, including international humanitarian law,” she added. In particular, Kallas also called for “the protection of members of all minorities, including Christian and other non-majority faiths, as well as the safety of foreign nationals and respect for diplomatic representations in Damascus. We also urge all parties to protect Syria’s rich cultural heritage and religious monuments.” “Now more than ever, it is imperative that all stakeholders engage in an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-controlled dialogue on all key issues to ensure an orderly, peaceful and inclusive transition, in the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and in accordance with the will of the Syrian people,” she added. “We strongly support the ongoing work of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, through all relevant EU instruments,” he continued. “In this critical period, the European Union stands by the Syrian people and remains in close contact with its regional partners and its key international partners,” she concluded.

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