Berlin should remove Syria sanctions with no delay: Commentator

Press TV has interviewed Manuel Ochsenreiter, the editor-in-chief of Zuerst in Berlin, to discuss the recent remarks by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on ongoing crisis in Syria.

Ochsenreiter noted that if Germany is really serious to fight terrorism in Syria, it should immediately lift its sanctions against the Arab country.

“If you want to fight the terrorists in Syria, the first most important step would be to stop immediately the sanctions and the embargoes on Syria and give the Syrians Armed Forces all the capacity back to fight terrorists,” he said on Thursday.

Ochsenreiter also said Merkel’s latest remarks that the only solution to Syria’s problems lies in consulting with Russia and Iran is a “small step into the right direction”.

“It is a very, very small step but we have to admit it is a small step into right direction,” he said.

He added, “If Angela Merkel is really interested in solving the conflict in Syria, it would be very easy for her by the way. The natural thing would be to speak and to support the legal leadership, the legal elected leadership of Syria.”

Stressing that Angela Merkel did nothing in the past to stop the influx of terrorism into Syria, he said, “It is of course a step into the right direction to talk with regional powers like Iran, also with Russia, this is very important.”

Earlier in the day, Merkel called for political dialog with Russia and regional powers including Iran to end the war in Syria.

Addressing the German lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, Merkel said a solution should be found to the ongoing conflict in the Arab country.

She added that German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is scheduled to visit Iran, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in the coming days for consultations about the Syrian crisis.

Earlier, Merkel had stressed that Iran should be involved in talks over Syria’s future.

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