US sanctions may curb Syria’s recovery

In the National, here

The renewal of US sanctions against Damascus is likely to slow efforts by reform-minded Syrians trying to modernise the economy, according to businessmen and academics here, and could further hamstring faltering political reforms......there was a disappointment among those working to open up the former socialist country to the international market system.
“We are doing our best to reform the economy, efforts are being made and these sanctions will add another obstacle to that,” said Mazen Mourtada, a management consultant and board member of the Damascus Securities Exchange (DSE)....
The head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, said the US sanctions against Syria would “lead nowhere” insisting instead that “opening up towards Syria is much more important”....
“For the American government, it might be difficult to remove sanctions overnight, however, they can be eased and we will see on that. In fact, practically if they have the will, they can easily create the political rational to justify the removal of sanctions.”
And notwithstanding the embargo’s renewal, the thaw in Syria and America’s icy relationship has tentatively continued.......”