The United States has no plans to "normalize or upgrade" diplomatic relations with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and also does not encourage others to do so, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing a State Department spokesperson.
U.S. says it won't normalize or upgrade diplomatic ties with Syrian government
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 30, ARTSAKHPRESS: The comments came in response to Reuters questions on whether Washington was encouraging and supporting a rapprochement between Jordan and Syria after Jordan fully reopened its main border crossing with Syria on Wednesday.
The move was to boost the countries' struggling economies and reinforce a push by Arab states to reintegrate Syria after shunning it during its civil war.
"The United States will not normalize or upgrade our diplomatic relations with the Assad regime nor do we encourage others to do so, given the atrocities inflicted by the Assad regime on the Syrian people," a State Department spokesperson said in an email. "Assad has regained no legitimacy in our eyes, and there is no question of the U.S. normalizing relations with his government at this time."
It was among the strongest comments to date on Syria from the Biden administration, whose Syria policy has largely focused on ensuring the permanent defeat of Islamic State and providing humanitarian aid to Syrian people.
The United States has suspended its diplomatic presence in Syria since 2012.
