Spain calls for 'red lines' in talks with new Syria leadership

The international community needs to establish "several red lines" in any talks with the new Syrian leadership and consider sanctions to ensure a peaceful future for the country, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Luis Albares said on Wednesday.

In an interview at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York, he outlined the main conditions: the transformation of the rebel forces that took power in Syria this week into a political movement, respect for human rights and the rights of minorities, as well as Syria's territorial integrity.

"We must move very fast, because in a month, probably, decisions will have already been taken in Damascus and we will not be able to have the impact that we can have today" to make sure these conditions are known and met, he said.

He added a debate on potential sanctions was "on the table".

"The first things they are doing, the first things they are saying seem fairly reasonable," Albares said.

On the other hand, he called for caution and a debate on whether to remove Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the rebel operation that overthrew Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, from the list of terror groups after an initial round of talks.

The world is watching to see if Syria's new rulers can stabilise the country and avoid unleashing violent revenge, after a 13-year civil war fought along sectarian and ethnic lines destroyed the country. Syria ran one of the most oppressive police states in the Middle East during five decades of Assad family rule.

Albares urged all sides and neighbouring countries, such as Israel which has struck targets in Syria in the past few days, to show restraint so as not to fragment or further destabilise Syria, "which would be no good for anyone, including Israel".

UKRAINE

Albares said he doesn't believe it is possible to make peace in 24 hours in Ukraine, referring to pledges by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during his election campaign to end the conflict within a day of his Jan. 20 inauguration.

"I don't see that peace has any space in the mind of Vladimir Putin," he said.

"That's why I think it's impossible to make it in 24 hours."

He warned that, if Russia wins a war of aggression, the world will be less safe, adding that, at the moment, the debate over Ukraine joining NATO is secondary as the focus is on helping the country win the war.

To view the live broadcast of the World Stage go to the Reuters NEXT news page: