Syria to Renew Passports, in Apparent Concession

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The Syrian regime has decided to renew the passports of any of nationals in embassies abroad, in an apparent concession to the opposition, according to documents seen by Agence France Presse.

The interior ministry said in a circular that it has authorized "the renewal for two to four years of passports and travel documents belonging to Syrian citizens abroad".

"Passports will now be renewed regardless of the reasons that had earlier prevented their renewal, and without obtaining the necessary authorizations," said the circular.

The decision was published on Saturday and authorized by Interior Minister Mohammad al-Shaar.

Also reported by pro-regime newspaper Al-Watan, it comes with the regime and opposition facing strong international pressure to engage in talks to end a civil war that has cost at least 70,000 lives.

Last month, opposition chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib had called for the renewal of passports as one of two main conditions for talks with regime officials, along with the release of 160,000 prisoners.

Some 10 million Syrians live abroad, many of them opponents of the Assad regime.

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have fled the country during the spiraling 23-month conflict, many through illegal border crossings.

Others were exiled before the uprising because of their opposition to President Bashar Assad and his father Hafez, including many leaders of the opposition National Coalition headed by Khatib.

In January, following a dialogue plan proposed by Assad, the regime issued a circular aimed at "facilitating the return to the country of Syrian nationals.”

It also called on foreign-based opponents to return, regardless of whether their travel documents were up to date.

Comments 3
Thumb primesuspect 27 February 2013, 15:16

ASSad losing grip.

Default-user-icon fadi said (Guest) 27 February 2013, 15:22

طيب واللي صار الو اقل من سنين شو يعمل ؟ ينتحر ؟ ابوكم لابو قوانينكم
انقلعوا من البلد وما بدنا منكم شي

Default-user-icon Disgusted (Guest) 27 February 2013, 15:58

Could it be that authorities want to track syrians outside syria?