Proliferation Concerns Could Damage EU-Syria Trade Agreement

A demand by the European Union for Syria to fully comply with its nonproliferation obligations could wreck a trade agreement reached late last year, the Financial Times reported today (see GSN, Jan. 7).

The EU has included in the agreement a “conditionality” clause that states Syria must comply with its Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty commitments and other nonproliferation obligations, according to the Times. A lack of Syrian compliance could lead to the agreement being suspended, a EU diplomat said.

The nonproliferation clause states that Syria should “work towards” implementing its nonproliferation obligations, the Times reported. Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, though, want the clause in the trade agreement to reflect one agreed by EU foreign ministers in November to be included in agreements with other countries. That clause says countries should “take steps” to fulfill nonproliferation obligations.

“It is more concrete, but the sentiment is the same,” a diplomat said (Judy Dempsey, Financial Times, Feb. 12).

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