New US envoy to Syria: Washington’s policies towards Syria have approval of the two parties

The new US envoy to Syria, Joel Rayburn, said that his country's policy on Syria will not change, stressing that the current approach has support from both parties.

6 January, 2021 11:21

NEWS DESK

Ending the war that broke out in Syria nearly 10 years ago seemed an impossible task for a group of flexible and experienced diplomats from the major regional and international powers, as well as the United Nations, according to the Emirati newspaper The National.

If the United States and its allies have not yet succeeded in ending the war, it is simply because no easy solutions have been found in such a regional situation.

In this context, the new US envoy to Syria, Joel Rayburn, told the newspaper that "the policy that Washington has been implementing with regard to Syria over the past several years has always been a bipartisan policy in Washington. It has received support from across the political spectrum," explaining that this policy centered around three interconnected goals.

Rayburn explained that the first goal revolves around the anti-terror campaign against ISIS mercenaries as well as al-Qaeda; secondly, to repel the Iranian military influence in Syria represented by the Iranian army and groups loyal to it, while the third goal is, he said, “We are trying to obtain a political solution to the conflict according to UN Security Council Resolution No. 2254, including by applying pressure on the Assad regime. "

After more than two years in office, Rayburn was keen all the time to adhere to these three main goals of an administration that wanted to end "endless wars" and was willing to withdraw US forces from Syria at the first opportunity, but he acknowledges that the situation on the ground may change. One has to act dynamically, he said.

As for the impact of US sanctions on the Damascus government, Rayburn completely rejected the idea that the United States is responsible for the harsh suffering of Syrian civilians due to rounds of financial sanctions and severe travel penalties that have targeted dozens of individuals and entities affiliated with the Assad government, including his close circle, such as his wife Asma.

J.O