The European Union could begin lifting sanctions on Syria if the war-torn country's new rulers take steps to form an inclusive government that protects minorities, the bloc's top diplomat said Friday.

The French and German foreign ministers have met Syria’s new leaders and called for an inclusive transition of power, in the first visit by European Union ministers to Syria since the Assad regime fell in December.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is heading to Syria to encourage the transition in the country following the ouster of President Bashar Assad by Islamist insurgents.

Germany is leading European Union discussions on easing sanctions imposed on the Syrian government of toppled President Bashar al-Assad and aiding the country's population, foreign ministry sources said on Tuesday.

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday that he was ready to stem "illegal immigration" to Europe, the European diplomat said."Sharaa says he is ready to block illegal immigration,

Europe may move faster. On January 3rd the French and German foreign ministers met Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria’s de facto ruler, in Damascus. Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, said it was premature to lift sanctions. In private, though, German diplomats are circulating a proposal which would do just that.

The European Union will closely watch the political process developing in Syria and stand by the country if it moves toward a peaceful and open future but it will not back Syria's Islamization, Germany's foreign minister said on Friday.

Syrians marked Wednesday a month since the ouster of longtime dictator Assad in a lightning offensive by an anti-regime alliance. The alliance, led

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed Thursday in talks in Rome with European counterparts on the need to encourage stability in Syria, officials said, as Turkey threatens Kurdish forces in the war-torn country.

Germany is pushing the EU to ease sanctions on Syria as western countries seek to build bridges with its new rulers, diplomats said Tuesday.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock linked the receipt of financial assistance from the European Union by the new Syrian authorities with the observance of women's rights. The German edition of Der Tagesspiegel writes about this.