After the US government’s failure to overthrow the Syrian government and the normalization of Damascus’ relations with several Arab countries, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Syrian Affairs says that the US government is not trying to change the Syrian regime.
Faraan: In an interview with Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, Ethan Das Goldrich, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Syrian Affairs, told Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that the United States does not support the normalization of relations with Damascus.
“After more than a decade of war, we have always insisted on not using a military solution. This war can only be resolved through a political transition consistent with Resolution 2254.” The US official said in a part of the interview, reiterating Washington’s accusations against the Syrian government.
Reiterating Washington’s accusations against the Syrian government, Ethan Das Goldrich claimed: “In order to advance a comprehensive political solution to the war, we have focused on many key operational priorities; These include expanding the delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of Syria, extending our military presence and partnership to ensure the permanent defeat of ISIS, maintaining internal cease fire in all parts of Syria to maintain a low level of violence, and strengthening our commitment to holding the Syrian regime accountable.”
However, he said, “This government is not trying to engineer a regime change in [Syria], and the Syrian people must determine their leadership in the end. Nonetheless, we will continue to demand accountability and justice alongside the Syrian people.”
Despite years of efforts by the United States, European countries and a number of Arab countries to change the Syrian government in recent years, these efforts have failed.
In November 2011, coincidentally with the commencement of the internal crises in Damascus, the Arab countries suspended its membership. However, some Gulf Arab states reopened their embassies in Syria in recent months, and their officials traveled to Syria as a sign of a change in relations with Damascus.
In this regard, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi paid an official visit to the Syrian capital, Damascus. UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed also traveled to Syria last November to meet with President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Faisal al-Muqaddad. About a month after Abdullah bin Zayed’s visit to Syria, Bahrain also appointed an extraordinary ambassador to Damascus.
