The US representative to the United Nations, Jeffrey DiLaurentis, urged countries to avoid normalization with Damascus.
DiLaurentis said that without progress in the political process, Washington will not accept normalization of relations with Assad, will not lift sanctions against Damascus, and will not support the reconstruction process in Syria.
During a UN Security Council session on Syria, the US official warned Assad not to flood the region with drugs and allow Russia to use Syria as a logistical point to export its destabilizing activities.
DiLaurentis urged Damascus to get involved in the political process, reach a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, release the detainees and clarify the fate of the disappeared.
Normalization is not free
By contrast, Beth Van Schack, the US Ambassador to Global Criminal Justice, believed that normalization with the Bashar al-Assad regime should be “not a free gift but an opportunity to obtain some humanitarian concessions, such as the release of detainees.” enforced disappearance, contact with the families of victims, and permitting the return of refugees and their property.”
Emphasizing that the US policy of not promoting normalization is clear, Van Schaack emphasized that Assad’s violations against his own people, which were included in the list of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the participation of Russia, should be held accountable.
Regarding the reason for not issuing an international arrest warrant for Assad, similar to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the US official explained that this was due to Syria’s disapproval of the agreement establishing the International Criminal Court, and Russia and China to Russia. He prevented the file from being referred to the International Court through the Security Council.
According to the news of The New Arab, Van Schaack described the decision of the French judiciary as “very important” by accusing three senior Syrian officials in the regime intelligence of committing war crimes in Syria, and noted that this case will mobilize justice in other countries.”
