US does not support normalization of relations with Syria

The U.S. secretary of state says Washington does not support efforts to normalize relations with the government of President Bashar Assad of Syria

BEIRUT -- The United States does not support efforts to normalize relations with the government of President Bashar Assad or lift sanctions imposed on Damascus until there is progress in the political process in the war-torn country, the U.S. secretary of state said Wednesday.

Antony Blinken's comments come as some Arab countries recently began improving relations with Syria. Assad and King Abdullah II of Jordan spoke over the phone last week for the first time since Syria’s conflict began in March 2011. Syria’s defense minister last month visited Jordan and met with Jordanian military officials.

Syria was also invited to take part in the Dubai’s Expo 2020, the first world’s fair in the Middle East. Crisis-hit Lebanon is working on getting electricity from Jordan through Syria and a 10-year old deal to transport Egyptian natural gas through Jordan and Syria to Lebanon was also revived in September.

Blinken spoke during a joint news conference in Washington with the foreign ministers of Israel and the United Arab Emirates.