Trump pledges support for Syria after meeting with the legitimate president... and a pivotal visit witnesses the suspension of "Caesar" sanctions.

Arab Sea Newspaper - Special

Arab Sea - Follow-ups: In an unprecedented move, US President Donald Trump received his Syrian counterpart, Ahmed al-Shara, the new President of Syria and former leader in al-Qaeda, at the White House yesterday, Monday, pledging to do everything in his power to support the stability of Syria and the success of the transitional phase in the country. The meeting, described as pivotal in the course of US-Syrian relations, comes after an eventful year for al-Shara, who rose to power after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, and moved from the ranks of the armed opposition to the leadership of the country, in an attempt to reunite it after years of war and conflict. During the visit, al-Shara discussed with Trump the issue of US sanctions imposed on Damascus, as the US Treasury Department confirmed the extension of the suspension of the "Caesar Act" for 180 days, in an initial step towards the possibility of lifting the sanctions completely, which requires the approval of Congress. Al-Shara's visit, which is the first of its kind for a Syrian president to Washington, took place amid tight security measures, as the Syrian president entered from a side door away from the media lenses. Trump praised al-Shara's strong personality in statements to reporters, stressing that he sees him as a "strong leader," despite his controversial past, saying: "We have all been through a difficult past." In an interview with Fox News, al-Shara denied any current relationship with extremist groups, considering that what was previously seen as "a thing of the past," adding that he did not discuss this issue with the US President during their meeting. The visit marks a remarkable shift in Syrian-American relations and may lay the groundwork for a new phase of international involvement in the reconstruction of Syria, should the political dialogue continue and sanctions be gradually lifted.