US Aims to Persuade Russia Distance From Assad to Advance Syria Conflict Solution - Envoy

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th May, 2020) The United States aims to persuade Russia to move away from Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iran in order for Washington to advance a solution for the conflict in Syria, US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey said on Tuesday.

"The Russians are not happy with Assad. The problem is they do not see an alternative... they don't have a political way out because of the problems with Assad," Jeffrey said. "Our job is to present them through the United Nations and our support for the United Nations with a way forward, but that requires distancing themselves to some degree from Assad and from the Iranians."

Jeffrey said the United States is trying to make Russia understand that it will not have support of the international community for either diplomatic reconciliation or reconstruction assistance until Moscow is allied with Assad.

The international community has launched several efforts to settle the Syrian crisis, including the UN-led Geneva process and the Astana process initiated by Russia, Turkey and Iran. One of the most notable outcomes of the Astana talks has been the memorandum that served as the basis to create de-escalation zones in Syria.

The United States and its allies have repeatedly stated that they do not consider the Syrian settlement possible if Assad stays in power. Russia has supported the legitimate Syrian government led by Assad, repeatedly stressing that only the Syrian people should decide his political fate.