A US sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria is welcome, but “much more significant work ... will inevitably be necessary,” the UN special envoy on Syria, Geir Pedersen, told the Security Council on Wednesday.After 13 years of civil war, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in a lightening offensive by opposition forces led by the “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (HTS) group a month ago.The US, Britain, the European Union and others imposed tough sanctions on Syria after a crackdown by al-Assad on pro-democracy protests in 2011 that spiraled into war. But the new reality in Syria has been further complicated by sanctions on HTS – and some leaders – for its days as an al-Qaeda affiliate.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“I welcome the recent issuance of a new temporary General License by the United States government. But much more significant work in fully addressing sanctions and designations will