US 'does not support our allies' in Syria normalisation

State Department speaks on Arab League decision to welcome President Bashar Al Assad back into regional coalition

The State Department building in Washington. Reuters

The US on Monday said it did not agree with the Arab League's decision to readmit Syria to the body amid its continuing civil war, which began when security forces cracked down on a pro-democracy movement in 2011.

Washington said that President Bashar Al Assad did not deserve to have relations normalised after brutally suppressing protests and besieging cities.

“We do not believe that Syria merits readmission to the Arab League at this time,” US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.

“We continue to believe that we will not normalise our relations with the Assad regime and we don't support our allies and partners doing so either.”

The Arab League on Sunday voted to end its isolation of Syria.

It was a conditional readmission on the basis that Mr Al Assad would formulate a solution to the conflict. It also demanded Syria ensure the safe return of refugees and address drug smuggling.

“We share a number of the same goals with our Arab partners with respect to Syria, including reaching a solution to the Syrian crisis that is consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2254,” Mr Patel said.

The resolution is a road map for a Syrian political transition that was outlined by the UN in 2015.

“We believe that there's a strong need to expand humanitarian access to all Syrians, build security and stability to ensure ISIS cannot resurge, create safe conditions for the eventual refugee returns and releasing the clarifying fate of those that are unjustly detained and missing,” Mr Patel said.

He highlighted hopes for an end to the Captagon drug trade and Iran's role in the region through Damascus.

The US has been steadfast in its opposition to rapprochement with the Assad government.

Over the years, it has consistently placed sanctions on Syria and enshrined in domestic law that reconstruction assistance should not be sent without accountability for war crimes.

Half a million people have been killed in the Syrian civil war and millions displaced both internally and internationally.

Cases of war crimes are being investigated and tried globally with the support of the UN.