US State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that the head of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, “has long lost his legitimacy,” noting that “Assad’s days are numbered.”
“We believe that the Syrian people will not want to be led by the man who along with his regime are responsible for killing many innocent civilians and attacking his people with poison gas,” said Nauert in an interview with Al-Hurra TV on Friday.
Nauert added that Russia’s intervention “saved Assad and his regime,” noting that “it is possible to work with Russia to outline a new vision and a new future for Syria.”
“These are steps in the right direction in a very long battle… We have seen a lot of progress today compared to the past year and a half.” She pointed out that nothing has been scheduled yet.
Echoing Nauert’s remarks, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that “the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end. The only issue is how that should that be brought about.” He was speaking after holding talks with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Tillerson said that “the United States wants a whole and unified Syria with no role for Bashar al-Assad in the government.” He reiterated the US’s commitment to the Geneva process to reach a comprehensive political settlement in Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Agencies)
