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US says it is against upgrading relations with Damascus after Turkiye-Russia-Syria talks

January 4, 2023 at 2:07 pm

US State Department spokesman Ned Price in Washington, DC on 18 August 2021 [ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP/Getty Images]

The US State Department on Tuesday issued its first take on a trilateral engagement involving Turkiye, Syria and Russia, stressing that “now is not the time to normalise relations” with Syria.

“Our policy … has not changed. We do not support countries upgrading their relations or expressing support to rehabilitate the brutal dictator, Bashar Al-Assad,” said spokesman, Ned Price, at a press conference.

“We urge states to carefully consider the Assad regime’s atrocious human rights record of the past 12 years as it continues to inflict atrocities on the Syrian people and to deny access to life-saving humanitarian aid,” he added.

Price said US support for a political solution in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 “remains firm” and Washington will continue to work with allies and partners at the UN.

“We’ve made very clear to all of our allies and partners that now is not the time to normalise relations, now is not the time to upgrade relations.

READ: Turkiye, Russia, Syria DMs meet in first talks since 2011

“And countries should be mindful of the atrocious human rights record that the Assad regime has inflicted upon its people,” he added.

The Turkish, Russian and Syrian defence ministers met in Moscow on 28 December and discussed counter-terrorism efforts in Syria, according to Turkiye’s Defence Minister, Hulusi Akar.

The meeting tackled the Syria crisis, the refugee issue and joint counter-terrorism efforts against all terrorist groups in Syria.

Akar also reiterated that the Turkish, Russian and Syrian defence ministers agreed to continue tripartite meetings to ensure stability in Syria and the wider region.

Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said a second meeting could take place in mid-January.

READ: Syria opposition to meet Turkiye officials amid accelerating rapprochement with Damascus