US tries to push allies to let Syria’s Assad rebuild, with little success
By MATTHEW LEE and AYA BATRAWY
The Biden administration has been quietly pressing Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and other key allies to consider re-normalizing relations with Syrian President Bashar Assad, even as the U.S. and its allies are pushing for his ouster, according to U.S. and Arab officials.
The move signals a shift in Washington, which, under former President Donald Trump, called for Assad’s ouster and repeatedly hit his government with sanctions.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top U.S. officials have been primarily focused on trying to push forward a political transition in Syria where Assad eventually cedes power. This focus has meant that Washington has become more accepting of Assad continuing as president for now, rather than pressing for his immediate ouster.
The effort is driven by Syria’s impending economic collapse, the officials said, cautioning that Assad’s departure in the near term could plunge the country into further chaos.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic matters.
The prospect of Assad staying in office until the country stabilizes has not been well received by France and some other European allies, according to the officials, who said that the U.S. has encountered resistance even from Arab nations that have supported Assad’s ouster in the past.
There are no indications that Washington has had any success with its efforts, the officials said, but they acknowledged that the groundwork had been laid.