The Middle East talks about the priorities of the American administration in Syria
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported that there are three priorities for the US administration in Syria that focus on three main axes: “the human dimension, the chemical system file, and the fight against ISIS.”
The newspaper pointed out that Washington is focusing on renewing the UN Security Council resolution to deliver UN humanitarian aid across borders on July 10, stressing that Biden, since his arrival to power, has requested his team to conduct a review of the Syria policy, which is supposed to end this month.
The newspaper quoted diplomats as hinting that the non-imposition of new sanctions, and other US signals, including exemption from sanctions against Corona, medicine and food, are aimed at encouraging Moscow to extend the decision on aid across borders.
The newspaper talked about American efforts to exert great pressure on Damascus and Moscow to abide by the Russian-American agreement signed at the end of 2013, and Damascus’s response to 19 questions directed by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, to the regime regarding its chemical program.
As for the third axis related to fighting ISIS, it is done by ensuring that reducing the American presence in Iraq and the region will not affect the strategy of preventing the emergence of the organization, while providing support to local allies east of the Euphrates, and preventing Moscow, Tehran and Damascus from “expanding in these areas.”
The newspaper emphasized that the recent G-7 statement is in line with the priorities of the US President Joe Biden’s administration, in terms of its focus on the humanitarian and “chemical” dimensions in Syria, which have fallen back on Washington’s ladder of priorities.
The newspaper noted that among the striking references to the location of the Syrian file in the Biden administration’s interests is not to appoint a special envoy to Syria, and to avoid launching a counter-campaign against the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s tour weeks ago, to encourage the return of Syria to the “Arab embrace”, and to be content with delivering some messages through Diplomatic channels, in addition to not issuing any new sanctions list under the “Caesar Act” since the arrival of the new administration.
