US Says It Opposes Countries Normalizing With Assad After Syria-Turkey Talks

The State Department on Tuesday said that the US opposes other countries normalizing with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad following high-level talks between Syria and Turkey.

The defense ministers of Syria and Turkey met in Moscow at the end of December, marking the first time Ankara and Damascus held talks at that level since 2011. While sources told Middle East Eye no deals were made at the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he expects to meet with his Syrian and Russian counterparts later this month.

The Turkish rapprochement with Syria represents a significant shift as Ankara severed relations with Damascus in 2012 and supported the failed regime change effort against Assad by backing anti-government fighters in Syria. Even though it’s clear Assad isn’t going anywhere, the US opposes Syria’s neighbors normalizing with his government.

“We do not support countries upgrading their relations or expressing support to rehabilitate the brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad,” State Department Ned Price told reporters. When asked if the US spoke to Turkey about the issue, Price said, “We’ve made very clear to all of our allies and partners that now is not the time to normalize relations, now is not the time to upgrade relations.”