Evidence of meeting #27 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was syrian.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON
Thank you, Chair.
I have no further questions.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Thank you, Chair.
This has been touched on by many people, both our witnesses and members. I'm interested in the state of law in Syria.
I hear about the collapse of the Assad government. Collapse of a government means, typically, loss of the law and the whole legal structure that pertains to that government. I'm assuming that the current provisional government was created on the basis of it being the strongest faction out there. Is that correct?
Distinguished Senior Fellow, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, As an Individual
My colleagues are well-placed to answer what's happening on the ground.
In the bigger picture, the approach is that the government is trying to see that it has, by the definition of the state, exclusive monopoly on force. It is making progress. We just talked about the Kurds.
In terms of the law and order situation on the ground, I would defer to my colleagues.
Liberal
Political Analyst and Director, Conseil Géopolitique Perspectives, As an Individual
The new regime has inherited old structures but is not improving them. In addition, it is imposing a kind of sharia. The justice system now contains elements of pure Islamic law. The system is confusing and corrupt. On top of that, the terrible economic situation means that judges are not paid very much. In one way or another, they are not independent. Justice in Syria has no independence, rigour or integrity.
I would just like to share with you what I know about the history of Russian facilities.
Turkey is an essential player in Syria. Without Turkish support, the regime could not have taken its place. It has strong ties with Turkey and a few with Saudi Arabia. In addition, Turkey made a kind of arrangement with the Russians to not intervene in the fall of Bashar al‑Assad's regime. In exchange, Russian facilities in Syria were preserved. Even today, President Ahmed al‑Sharaa has Syrian money printed in Russia. The ongoing ties between Russia and the al‑Sharaa government have not been broken. The al‑Sharaa government is trying to cover all bases.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Is the current government, the provisional government, taking steps to transition things like property rights that existed under the previous government? Are property rights, contracts, debts and so forth transitioning into the new society as well?
Political Analyst and Director, Conseil Géopolitique Perspectives, As an Individual
A lot of chaos and injustice exist in Syria. In terms of property rights, for example, a lot of houses were seized by the former regime. They were given to clan members, cronies and the military, that is to say officers and senior officials with ties to the regime.
Although the regime has changed, the same things are happening. Former executives have been replaced by members of the HTS, the dominant party. There has been no reform. In other words, it's still the old regime with new tools.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
To develop and recover from these many years of turmoil, there need to be well-established property rights, well-established contract laws and so forth—
Political Analyst and Director, Conseil Géopolitique Perspectives, As an Individual
Reform is needed.
Liberal
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
—or they're not going to get any investment anywhere. Is that stability coming?
Political Analyst and Director, Conseil Géopolitique Perspectives, As an Individual
It's a complete vacuum. In the south of Syria, there's no authority. In other places, the courts do not work. In some places in Syria, no one is in charge.
As I said, right now the old system has been inherited. Small attempts are being made to improve, but they, meaning the ministers and their associates, are sadly lacking in experience and know-how.
Liberal
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Thank you. Mr. Chair.
This is incredible. My colleagues are being magnanimous to us, even though our party is smaller.
Mr. Abou Diab, I would like to go back to what you were just saying. You were talking about Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
Internationally, can the new Syrian government rely on any other regimes as staunch allies at the moment? Is it mostly Turkey and Saudi Arabia?
Political Analyst and Director, Conseil Géopolitique Perspectives, As an Individual
Syria certainly relies on Qatar. Unfortunately for Syria, Lebanon and other countries, the Arab countries in the Gulf region, which were an economic backbone of sorts, are now greatly affected and need assistance themselves. That brings more responsibilities. The situation is deteriorating.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
That is just what I thought. You are ahead of me.
What are the current repercussions on Syria of the war that the United States and Israel are waging against Iran?
Can you give us some more details about that, for the benefit of the analysts and the members of the committee?
Political Analyst and Director, Conseil Géopolitique Perspectives, As an Individual
That is a very important question. Until now, Ahmed al‑Sharaa has been trying to establish his position as one of benevolent neutrality. He says he wants to keep Syria from becoming involved in the conflicts in the Middle East. Despite the kind of security zone that Israel has put in place, he is suffering in silence. He says that his army was destroyed by the Israelis or by the former Syrian army. He is trying to be a kind of buffer between Turkish influence and Israeli influence.
Nevertheless, the situation is very serious. We hear a lot of rumours about Syria possibly interfering in Lebanon. Sometimes, the United States and Israel are said to want al‑Sharaa to take action against Hezbollah in Lebanon. At the moment, al‑Sharaa and the Syrian government are saying that this is not so, but information from the region does not put the rumours to rest. We cannot exclude a scenario in which Syria intervenes in Lebanon again. This time, it would be religious in nature, by which I mean a return to the inter-Islamic wars between Shia and Sunni.
One very troubling event happened yesterday. Pro-Iranian militants from Iraq bombed a Syrian army base in the northeast of Syria. It seems that American soldiers and advisers were on that base.
That is the only very troubling event that has occurred as part of the war on Iran being waged by Israel and the United States.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Thank you.
I'd like to commend the witnesses for the high level of discussion that we have had today.
My thanks to you all.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen
Thank you very much. That concludes the questions.
Thank you to the witnesses for appearing before the committee.
Our next meeting will be on Thursday, March 26, when the committee will consider two draft reports, which you have received.
Is it the will of the committee to adjourn the meeting?