As President Donald J. Trump prepares to meet Syrian leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani (also known as Ahmed al-Sharaa) at the White House on Monday, the Foundation for the Development of Western Syria (FDWS) calls on both parties to ensure that this meeting produces tangible commitments that protect Syria’s pluralistic fabric and secure the rights of its vulnerable minorities.

For centuries, Syria’s Christian, Alawite, Druze, Kurdish, and other minority communities have been an integral part of the nation’s heritage. Under the current regime, however, these groups have faced increasing insecurity, targeted violence, and marginalization. It is therefore imperative that any diplomatic engagement with the Jolani government be tied to verifiable and enforceable guarantees.

The Foundation calls for the following commitments to be explicitly articulated and codified during and after the White House meeting:

1. Recognition and Security of Minority Communities:
   
   The Jolani regime must publicly recognize the existence and historical presence of Syria’s minority populations and commit that law enforcement and security forces operating in their regions will include officers drawn directly from those same communities.
2. Removal of Foreign Jihadist Elements:
   
   Jolani must declare, without qualification, that all foreign jihadist fighters and militias will be withdrawn from Syria’s coastal ports and adjacent territories. These areas must return to the control of local Syrian communities, free from external radical influence.
3. Regional Representation in Damascus:
   
   Minority populations must have political representation in Damascus based on their regional constituencies. This framework is essential to ensure that Syria’s reconstruction is inclusive, representative, and sustainable.
4. Verification of Protection Mechanisms:
   
   Vague promises that “minorities will be protected” are insufficient and unacceptable. The United States and its partners must insist on clear mechanisms, subject to monitoring and verification by the U.S. government or independent observers, to ensure compliance with these commitments.
5. Equal Attention to Persecuted Christians:
   
   The Foundation calls on the U.S. Administration to adopt the same level of advocacy and intervention on behalf of Christians in Syria as it has recently demonstrated toward Christians in Nigeria. Religious freedom and the protection of minority faiths must remain a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.

FDWS welcomes the renewed U.S. engagement on Syria and urges the Administration to ensure that American leverage, including diplomatic, political, and economic, is used to secure a pluralistic, sovereign, and safe Syria for all its people.

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