US asks UN to lift sanctions on Syria's president ahead of White House visit

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The United States has proposed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution that would lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is due to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

The draft resolution, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, would also lift sanctions on Syria's Interior Minister Anas Khattab. It was not immediately clear when it could be put to a vote. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, the U.S., France or Britain to be adopted.

Washington has been urging the 15-member Security Council for months to ease Syria sanctions.

After 13 years of civil war, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December in a lightning offensive by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Formerly known as the Nusra Front, HTS was al Qaeda's official wing in Syria until breaking ties in 2016. Since May 2014, the group has been on the U.N. Security Council's al Qaeda and Islamic State sanctions list.

A number of HTS members are also under U.N. sanctions - a travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo - including its leader Sharaa and Khattab.

A Security Council sanctions committee has been regularly granting Sharaa travel exemptions this year, so even if the U.S.-drafted resolution is not adopted before Monday, the Syrian president is still likely to be able to visit the White House.

Trump announced a major U.S. policy shift in May when he said he would lift U.S. sanctions on Syria.

United Nations sanctions monitors have seen no "active ties" this year between al Qaeda and HTS, according to a U.N. report, seen by Reuters in July.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)