Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) arrived in Turkey on Tuesday for “the express purpose of assessing the situation in Syria,” the senator stated.
Although he would support relieving sanctions on Syria under the “right conditions,” Graham said that it is vital to remember that “the current leadership in Syria achieved its position through force of arms, not through the will of its people.”
For Syria’s designation as a state terror sponsor to be lifted under U.S. law, the Trump administration must report to Congress about how new circumstances merit such a change.
“That report has not been received, and Congress has the opportunity to review this action if it chooses. The designation of Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism has tremendous ramifications apart from the sanctions,” Graham stated.
The senator stated that he is sure that Congress must be informed before sanctions are lifted, and the legislative body would then “make an informed decision on whether or not it should approve the change in designation.”
“I have also been in close contact with Israel, as they are extremely concerned about the state of play in Syria,” Graham stated. “During this trip, I will be discussing this matter with our allies in Turkey and will maintain extremely close coordination with our allies in Israel, so that we can fully understand the implications of sanctions waivers.”
Any effort to waive sanctions, which Congress passed, must “be done in a coordinated fashion with our allies, especially our friends in Israel, so that numerous security concerns can be addressed,” Graham said. “Over the past decades, locations in Syria have been used to attack Israel.”
The senator added that he would like “to empower the new players in Syria.”
A “stable Syria would be a game changer for the region, but given its past, their progress must be evaluated closely,” he added.