Hamid Khoshayand – Regional Affairs Expert

Golani’s visit to Turkey and Saudi Arabia is natural, given the “overt” and “pronounced” roles the two countries have played in the developments in Syria for years. The two countries have always sought to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. However, this does not apply to France, at least not in the current situation.

After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and between 1920 and 1946, Syria was under France’s ” mandate.” After the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011, France took sides with Bashar al-Assad’s opponents. Despite this and the long history of France’s role in Syria, in recent years, after the end of the Syrian war and the influence of Russia and Iran in Damascus, Paris has been marginalized from the country’s developments.

After the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, the French government has become active again in the country’s developments after a hiatus of several years and is seeking to expand bilateral cooperation with the new Syrian rulers. Available reports, including Lesco documents, show that in recent weeks, French companies such as Total and Veolia have been negotiating with the Syrian rulers to participate in oil, gas, and water projects.

Meanwhile, the French government has prepared plans to facilitate access for small and medium-sized French companies to key sectors such as energy, construction, agriculture, telecommunications, and health in Syria.

Given that France is the leading political power in the European Union and is considered an important player in international diplomacy, the political current ruling Damascus, which seeks to gain international legitimacy and attract foreign aid to rebuild and revive the Syrian economy, has welcomed Paris’ positions and is inclined to expand bilateral cooperation with this country.

France pursues several “goals” and “interests” in strengthening political and diplomatic relations with the new Syrian rulers; concerns about the revival of terrorist groups, control of immigrants and the issue of refugees that has even reached French cities, presence in the Syrian market of 18 million, competition with Moscow and Ankara, strengthening the balance of power in favor of the West, especially against Russia, and easy access to energy resources are among the important goals of the French government in Syria, which it is supposed to pursue by inviting Golani.

In addition to the goals mentioned above, an “important and strategic goal” is to “boost France’s influence” in Syria, which was once one of the countries under the French government’s control in the region. In other words, by inviting Golani and presenting political, economic, and trade proposals, including diplomatic support, lifting sanctions, granting low-interest loans, participating in energy projects, and the presence of French companies in the reconstruction process, Macron is seeking to “restore” France’s former “power” in Syria and turn this country into France’s “sphere of influence” in West Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. To achieve the aforementioned goals and interests, economic activists and some political circles in France are “advising” the Macron government that its economic diplomacy in Syria should prioritize two key objectives: first, lifting international sanctions and restoring Syria’s trust in France’s commitment. In this regard, France should work to reduce the trade restrictions of the European Union and the United States while providing legal support for the demands of Syria’s new rulers, second, holding Bashar al-Assad accountable in the International Criminal Court, which can serve as a symbol of France’s power and commitment to justice in the Syrian public.

Despite the French government’s efforts and plans for economic and political influence in the future of Syria, even if the current rulers of Damascus wanted to, Paris could only influence “small parts” of the country. Syria is currently the playground of the United States, the Israeli regime, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, leaving “limited space” for the presence or influence of other countries in Syria. The Russians are also seeking to return to Syria and, due to their conflicts with the French government, will prevent the country from entering their sphere of interests in Syria.

This is because the Syrian public does not trust them much due to the “sanctions” that Western governments, including France, have imposed on Moscow over the past 14 years, which have caused hardship and suffering to people.