US Special Representative for Syria Engagement and Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Ambassador James Jeffrey continues his Euro-Mediterranean tour to confirm Washington’s priorities for Syria.
Upon arriving in Brussels, Jeffrey joined Acting Secretary of Defense Minister Mark Esper in a meeting of the defense ministers of the “Global Coalition’s Small Group.”
Jeffrey, accompanied by Deputy Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Ambassador William Roebuck, held separate meetings with senior EU officials to discuss the situation in Syria and Iraq, including the need for additional assistance for stability.
State Department spokesperson Marlo Cross-Durrant said the Ambassador's tour was to confirm US priorities with the United Nations and the international community in Syria, and address many issues related to ending the conflict there as soon as possible.
In an e-mail sent to Asharq Al-Awsat, Durrant indicated Washington would remain engaged with the United Nations and other parties, including Russia, to encourage all possible efforts to advance the political process in Syria as required by Security Council Resolution 2254.
The Spokesperson said Washington continues to call on all parties, including Russia and the Assad regime, to honor their commitments to end the violence in Idlib, avoid any major military offensive and allow unimpeded humanitarian access.
Negotiations between Washington and a number of European and Arab countries as well as Turkey are underway to establish a safe zone on the Turkish-Syrian border, resolve the Turkish dispute with the Kurds, and begin reconstruction in Syria's northeastern regions.
Durrant said Washington urged its partners and allies not to provide reconstruction assistance to the Syrian government in the absence of real progress towards a political settlement of the conflict in line with Resolution 2254.
In order to ensure ISIS’ lasting defeat, Washington is working with its allies and partners in the international coalition to get contributions to help stabilize the situation in northeastern Syria, according to the Spokesperson.
She reported that the stability of the region requires financial contributions beyond what can be provided by one state, and maintaining this assistance contributes to the stability of northeastern Syria in the foreseeable future.
On the safe zone, Durrant noted that Washington is holding positive and fruitful discussions with Ankara on the establishment of that region to ensure its stability and security and address Turkey’s security concerns.
The tripartite meeting, which included national security officials from Russia, Israel and the United States, discussed issues of regional security and coordination in a timely manner and the ways in which they can work to reach peaceful solutions to conflicts in the Middle East, according to the Spokesperson.
