Syria's foreign minister will attend an international conference in Paris on Thursday as regional and Western powers seek to shield the country during its fragile transition amid ongoing instability across the region.

European Union countries on Monday suspended a range of sanctions against Syria with immediate effect, including restrictions related to energy, banking, transport and reconstruction. The EU has a range of sanctions in place targeting both individuals and economic sectors in Syria.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Thursday that the European Union was working toward swiftly easing Syria sanctions as Paris hosted a conference on the transition in the war-torn country after president Bashar al-Assad's fall.

With the European Union poised to ease sanctions on Syria following the ouster of its former governing regime last fall, Europe’s bishops have urged the protection of persecuted communities and investment in rebuilding.

EU also lifted asset freezes on five banks, eased restrictions on Syria’s central bank, and extended indefinitely an exemption designed to support the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The European Union on Monday suspended a series of sanctions against Syria, including restrictions on energy, banking, transport, and reconstruction, in a move that takes immediate effect.

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, said that the decision to lift sanctions is “immediate and open-ended” but warned that it “can be reversed if Syria's new rulers backtrack [on] their commitments”.

EU says move aims to 'facilitate engagement with Syria, its people, and businesses, in key areas of energy and transport, as well as to facilitate financial and banking transactions associated with su