As Trump’s Mideast trip begins, could Syria relations be the wildcard?

President Donald Trump He arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on his first big trip abroad since he found his duty again, hoping to ensure major trade contracts and diplomatic breakthroughs across the Middle East.

The president could have an unexpected and willing partner in the new Syrian president who could offer him a major diplomatic victory.

“This is a historic opportunity, and it would be a shame if they lost it now,” said Natasha Hall, a senior associate of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), she told Fox News Digital.

President Trump seems to be open to renewal relations with Syria, including the ability to abolish the crippled sanctions imposed as part of the previous Bashar Al-Assad regime.

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“We may take them out of Syria because we want to start a new start,” President Trump told reporters at an oval office on Monday.

The president added that “we want to see if we can help them” and that at some point the determination of Syrian sanctions will be given.

“Syria now, for the first time, has a government in power that no longer relies on Iran to survive, but rather hostile to Iran, so it would be a great opportunity to lose if they didn’t step up now,” Hall added.

Mouz Moustafa, Executive Director of the Syrian Working Group for Emergency Room, a non-profit organization that helps bringing democracy in Syria, recently met with temporary Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Damascus.

Moustafa exclusive to Fox News Digital said that the two had talked about a potential breakthrough in more than three hours American-Syrian relationshipswho have been cut off since 2011 after the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War, which led to the death of over 500,000 people.

Moustafa and others are committed to a meeting between Al-Shara and President Trump during his visit to the Bay this week. For the new Syrian government, this will be their opportunity to persuade a new administration to operate with the country coming from a devastating 14-year civil war and repairing ties with a leader who was once aligned with the Islamic State and Al Kaid.

“The Syrian goals are quite clear why they would like to meet the President of Trump in Saudi Arabia, to embark on some of these fundamental issues of cooperation and to alleviate any of the worries that the White House may have. And some of the things they tried to do is show that they can work on intelligence issues, and talk about companies about it.

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Still, others seek caution. “Currently, Sharaa does not limit political and civic freedom, but by nature it is authoritarian.” Former US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford told Fox News Digital.

Ford, who was the last US ambassador to Damascus, was derived from the Embassy in October 2011 after Syrian uprising He turned violently. Ford made an effort to put al-Sharaa on the 2012 terrorist list and said, although pragmatic, he leads an extremely weak government.

“He does not yet control all of Syria. The Damascus government, which he leads is not very strong and will take time to re -confirm all his power over Syria,” Ford said.

Ford does not believe that al-Sharaa will follow terrorism as in the past, but although there have been some promising events since they have taken power, now they have to retain their expectations relatively low.

“Syria is so weak, military and economically, with many internal political divisions. Therefore, he will not be able to sign huge arrangements with the US,” Ford warned.

The senior official of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Fox News Digital that the President of Al-Sharaa emphasizes “that new Slobodna Syria seeks to establish a strong strategic relationship with the United States, one founded in mutual interests and joint partnerships.”

The senior official added that “Damascus sees US President Donald Trump as a leader who is most capable of achieving peace in the Middle East,” noting that Syria hopes that Washington will become an active and influential ally in regional issues.

Moustafa also met with members of the National Security Council and conveyed the wish of the Syrian president as a new partnership.

The National Security Council did not immediately respond to the Digital Request Fox News for comment.

The new Syrian leader has already shown a willingness to cooperate on some key issues important US, the new Syrian government has collaborated with US intelligence agencies and encouraged several ISIS parcels to attack Damascus. Syrian intelligence services have also been arrested Isis commander Abu al-Hrith al-Iraqi in February.

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Moustafa also said that al-Sharaa was concerned about the mass accumulation of Iranian militia along the Iraqi side of the Syrian border. This is a concern for the US, as well as Trump’s administration, he said, because he is asked to contact Iran again to suppress his nuclear program.

In the eyes of al-Sharae, the job of a century would bring peace to Syria and his neighbors, including Israel. Moustafa added that the agreement would withstand China, Russia and Iran and allow US troops to go home in the right way.

However, critics warn that a potential contract with the United States is not without obstacles.

Al-Sharaa led the Islamist rebel group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to victory over Assad’s dictatorship in December. He had a $ 10 million for his capture that was abolished in February in the midst of an effort of administration to talk to the new Syrian government.

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HTS is still a particular foreign terrorist organization that complicates business in Syria.

“The question is whether to believe that a change of behavior, after the fall of the regime, means more permanent changes in character, ideology and management,” said Caroline Rose, director of the Institute for New Lines, for Fox News Digital.

Rose, who recently traveled to Syria, noted that, although HTS gradually broke from belonging to terrorist organizations and over time adopted some moderate elements, there are still doubts that this will be “pasted”, especially with recent sectative tensions.

“Skeptics on the abolition of Syria limits are immediately afraid that any move could be too too small and could risk credibility now among her regional colleagues,” Rose added.

Since becoming the president, Al-Sharaa has formed a transitional government composed of close allies from HTS Rebel Group And a mixture of technocrats, former opposition leaders, civil society activists, and even some former members of the Assad Government.

The temporary constitution that has been signed by Al-Sharaa in March guarantees basic freedom such as freedom of thought, expression and printing. It also protects women’s rights and promises equal rights for all Syrians regardless of ethnicity, religious sect or gender, but still leaves the country Under Islamist rule During the transition process.

Some concerns remain because of the power concentrated in the hands of the president. The President may unilaterally declare an extraordinary situation and suspend basic rights if national security is threatened.

The huge powers assigned to the executive government in the new Constitution is a reminder for many Syrians about the authoritarian past that many have suffered in their hands The Assad regime for over 50 years.

Although there is a new sense of optimism in Syrian society about his future, civilian peace and security remain elusive.

Deadly Sectasy Conflicts in March were launched by the remains of a former Assad regime in the Syrian coastal region led to the death of 200 safety forces. The forces associated with the government and armed civilians responded with a rough force. The Syrian Human Rights Network reported that these groups were responsible for death at least 396 people.

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The tensions also escalated with the Syrian population of Comrade, emphasizing the sensitive balance of the complex ethnic divisions of Syria and the ability of the new authority to control the various armed fractions.

Associated Press contributed to this report.