US not intending to normalize relations with Assad government

The US rules out in the near future the possibility of normalizing relations with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while recognizing that it was he who remained in power in the country, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said at a regular briefing March 11, Report informs.

“Well, we continue to promote a political settlement to end the conflict in Syria. As we know, Syria is a humanitarian catastrophe. The Syrian people have suffered for far too long. They have suffered under the brutal rule of Bashar al-Assad. We must do more, we know, to aid vulnerable Syrians, including many displaced within Syria as well as the refugees who have had to flee their homes,” Price noted.

“When it comes to Bashar al-Assad, he of course remains in power despite 10 years of civil war. If there is to be a sustainable end to this conflict, we recognize that the Syrian Government must change its behavior. We are in the process now of reviewing what we might do to advance the prospects for that political settlement, and we’ll consult, as I said before, closely with the UN, closely with our allies and partners in doing so,” the Department spokesperson added.