US Refuses to Confirm or Deny Regular Meetings with Syria’s Assad

The United States has chosen to remain silent on the possible discussions with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, following claims made by the leader in a recent televised interview. The US neither confirmed nor denied the alleged talks, leaving the situation open to speculation.

The reaction followed Assad’s statement in an interview with pro-Russian media, where he mentioned that his officials have occasional meetings with US counterparts, despite being sanctioned by Washington. This outreach comes as Syria aims to establish connections after facing over a decade of international isolation.

Assad remained tight-lipped about the participants in the meetings and the topics that were covered.

“America is currently illegally occupying part of our lands… but we meet with them from time to time, although these meetings do not lead to anything,” Assad said in an interview with a Russian-backed official from Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia, published by Syria’s official Sana news agency. 

“There is always hope: even when we know there will be no results we must try,” he said when asked about the possibility of mending ties with the West. 

The US State Department told The New Arab that it will not comment on “private diplomatic discussions” however emphasised its longstanding approach toward the Syrian regime. 

“The Administration’s position remains clear:  We will not normalize relations with the Assad regime absent authentic progress towards a lasting political solution to the underlying conflict,” a spokesperson for the State Department told The New Arab. 

“We continue to make this clear publicly and privately with our partners, including those engaged with the regime.”

The statement continued: “We believe a political solution as outlined in UNSCR 2254 remains the only viable solution to the Syrian conflict and are working with our allies, likeminded partners, and the UN to implement UNSCR 2254.”

The United States was among the first countries to cut ties with Assad over the repression of anti-government protests that sparked war in 2011. Following the brutal crackdown on protesters, many Western and Arab states also severed relations with Damascus. 

However last year Syria returned to the Arab fold, seeking better ties with wealthy US-allied Gulf states, in the hope they can help fund reconstruction, although Western sanctions are likely to deter investment. 

After war broke out, the US imposed a slew of sanctions on Syria, which had already been a pariah state in the West under Assad’s father Hafez. 

In 2020, a US law known as the Caesar Act came into force that punishes any companies that work with Assad. 

The Caesar Act, accompanied by a slew of US sanctions on Syrians close to Assad, aimed to force accountability for human rights abuses and to encourage a political solution. 

Washington is also at odds with Damascus over US backing for northeast Syria’s semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities, which have spearheaded the fight against the Islamic State group with support from a US-led international coalition. 

Damascus accuses Kurdish authorities, which control most of the country’s major oilfields, of separatism. 

In 2022, US President Joe Biden had accused Syria of holding American journalist Austin Tice, abducted more than a decade ago in Damascus, and called on the Syrian regime’s help to help secure his release. 

The Syrian foreign ministry denied holding Americans, including Tice. 

AFP also contributed to this piece.