United States: Assad regime biggest obstacle to political progress in Syria

WASHINGTON,D.C. – U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Ethan Goldrich stressed that “the Assad regime is the biggest obstacle to the progress of the political track in Syria,” stressing that Washington, “has not and will not support any effort to normalize relations with the Assad regime or rehabilitate it.”

During an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, he said that his country’s position, “has not changed from normalization with the Assad regime, and our current sanctions against it have not changed, and we are still imposing new and specific sanctions, in order to clarify our commitment to human rights and Caesar’s law.”

“We remind all countries, especially those considering association with the Assad regime, to pay close attention to the atrocities it has committed against the Syrian people over the past decade,” the US diplomat added, stressing that Washington, “urges a continued focus on accountability.”

On the political process in Syria, Goldrich said, “when it comes to finding a political solution for the Syrian people, after more than a decade of war, the Assad regime has undoubtedly been the biggest obstacle to progress on that path.”

He noted that the failure of the sixth round of committee meetings regarding the Syrian constitution “is the best evidence of the regime’s lack of intention to reach a political solution.”

Regarding accountability for human rights violations in Syria, the American diplomat said that Washington’s commitment to strengthening accountability for those responsible for atrocities in Syria and achieving justice for victims is unshakable, stressing that the Syrian people will never enjoy a stable, just and lasting peace without accountability for the most serious crimes.

As for the strategy to fight ISIS after the killing of its leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi in Idlib, where the areas of Turkish influence and the former Hayat Tahrir al-Sham faction, Al-Nusra Front, are located, Goldrich saw that “the attack on the detention center in al-Hasakah [Sinaa prison in Ghweran neighborhood] was a stark reminder that [ISIS] still poses a threat to the security of the United States and the international community, including Syrians.” He also referenced the value of partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces, and praised their work.