The US has stepped closer towards an alliance that could change the Middle East by no longer regarding Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, Syria's post-Assad rulers, as terrorists.
The administration of President Donald Trump made public an official revocation of the US's foreign terrorist organisation designation for HTS. The group has been in control of most of Syria since the downfall of the Assad regime in December. Current Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara founded HTS a decade ago after breaking away from Al Qaeda.
A senior European source said that by removing the terrorism designation, Washington is telling Mr Al Shara “and his men that you are under American protection". The two sides "have become allies”, the source added.
The decision was in part technical because, without it, Mr Trump would not be able to proceed with his decision to lift US sanctions on Syria, observers said.
However, it was also necessary to enable international business in Syria, the European source said. “If you want a commercial agency in Syria, or to sign an infrastructure or any major contract, ultimately you need to have contact with HTS,” the source said. “They control everything."
A Syrian source who has been in contact with American officials about the sanctions said both Washington and Damascus "are taking a baazari approach", consisting of "if you do this, we do that".
The source pointed out that Syria remains listed as a state sponsor of terrorism and that senior figures of HTS remain designated terrorists. The US imposed the state-sponsorship of terrorism designation on Syria in the late 1970s, over Hafez’s Al Assad's support for radical groups in the region.
Mr Al Shara, the militant-turned-politician has made establishing ties with Washington a central pillar of Syria’s foreign policy, accommodating demands by Washington to curb extremists and talk to Israel, although both Syrian and Israeli officials have described such talks as indirect.
Reassuring responses
Urged by Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Mr Al Shara’s main international supporters, Mr Trump announced a decision to lift US sanctions on Syria on May 13. He met Mr Al Shara in Riyadh shortly afterwards but the sanctions removal did not become formal until the end of last month.
The US measures were toughened considerably after Syrian security forces killed thousands of civilians in a crackdown on a peaceful protest movement that demanded the removal of Bashar Al Assad, which broke out in March 2011.
The crushing of the protests by the Alawite regime led to a violent Sunni backlash and the creation of rebel groups that HTS eventually overtook.
US officials have said supporting the new government in Damascus was important to stop a meltdown of Syria's economy, a main factor behind the downfall of the former regime, and potentially reigniting the chaos that blighted the country throughout its civil war.
Consolidating the new order was also necessary to prevent Iran from establishing itself and its militia allies in Syria, the officials added.
A Sunni ascendancy that replaced the Russian and Iranian-sponsored order in Syria has undermined a so-called Shiite crescent, underpinned by sectarian identity and anti-Israeli ideology.
The term, describing the Iranian takeover of decision-making in Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut, was coined by Jordan's King Abdullah II after Iraq started falling under Iran's orbit in the 2000s.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Mr Trump in Washington and said the post-Al Assad order "presents opportunities" for eventual peace.
Syrian political researcher Waiel Olwan said the Syrian government has signalled to Washington that "it is willing to sit at the table and reach a regional arrangement".
However, reaching a deal has been complicated by Israeli incursions into Syria in recent months – beyond the already occupied Golan Heights – and Israel's apparent refusal to meet Syrian demands to return to a 1974 armistice line.
Possible Israeli-Syrian ties require solving "a lot of details", said Mr Olwan, senior researcher at the Jusoor Centre for Studies.
"The Americans are receiving positive and reassuring responses from the Syrian government," he said from Damascus. However, he expected Washington to "wait before removing all the pressure cards on Syria”.
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Health Valley
Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
