Canada Maintains Position: No Immediate Plans to Reopen Embassy in Damascus

Canada has reaffirmed that it has no current intention of reopening its embassy in Damascus, which has remained closed since 2012.

The statement came from Gregory Galligan, Canada’s Ambassador to Lebanon and the official responsible for Syrian affairs, during testimony before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Canadian House of Commons. Galligan clarified that Ottawa has not set any specific conditions for resuming diplomatic operations in Syria.

According to The Canadian Press, Galligan noted that Canada may revisit the issue in the future if a significant number of Canadian tourists or businesses begin showing renewed interest in Syria, which could justify expanding Canada’s diplomatic presence.

Syria Removed from Canada’s Terrorism Lists

In late December, the Canadian government removed Syria from its list of “state sponsors of terrorism,” and also delisted Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham from its roster of terrorist organizations.

A government statement said the move aligns with recent decisions by allies, including the United Kingdom and the United States. It added that the policy shift reflects recognition of the Syrian Transitional Government’s efforts to promote stability, build an inclusive future, and cooperate with international partners on regional security and counter-terrorism.

For years, Canada had imposed extensive sanctions on Syria in response to abuses committed by the regime of former president Bashar al-Assad over nearly fourteen years.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

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