UN envoy to Syria questions US role in resolving Syria crisis
United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has questioned the role of the United States and its so-called military engagement against terrorist groups in the Middle Eastern country, saying Washington’s new administration is still working on its conflicting priorities in tackling the six-year-long crisis.
According to reports, De Mistura made the remarks in the 53rd Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of top diplomats and defense officials, on Sunday, the last day of the summit and just four days ahead of crucial peace negotiations on Syria in Geneva, Switzerland.
He further said that US President Donald Trump’s administration is stuck among three incompatible priorities in tackling the conflict, which include its so-called war against Daesh Takfiri terrorists, “how to limit the influence of some major regional players, and how not to damage one of their major allies in the region.”
De Mistura added that Trump needed to decide whether he was interested in just fighting Daesh or defeating the Takfiri group.
The UN special envoy also wondered how the White House was going to “square this circle,” adding that Washington was practically absent in all efforts devoted to settle the crisis politically. “Where is the US in all this? I can't tell you because I don't know,” he said.
Under former US President Barack Obama, the White House insisted that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had to be ousted, making it at odds with Russia, which firmly supported the Syrian leader and launched its military campaign against Daesh and other terror outfits in Syria at the Syrian government’s request in September 2015. Moscow has also called for an end to demands for the removal of Assad.
De Mistura also stressed that the ultimate resolution of the deadly conflict could be achieved only through an “inclusive” political solution.
A fresh round of UN-led negotiations is scheduled to be held in Geneva on Thursday, involving the Syrian government and representatives from armed opposition groups.
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