John Kerry: Ultimately, Negotiations with Bashar al-Assad are Necessary

John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated that significant pressure must be applied to Syria for the regime to enter a transitional phase, but ultimately, negotiations with Bashar al-Assad must occur. In an interview with CBS News on March 15, Kerry expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with Assad to quell the violence in Syria. Kerry said, "In the end, we must negotiate. What we are looking for is to increase the pressures that will compel him (Bashar al-Assad) to come to the table for talks. We have clearly stated that we are seeking ways to convey this pressure to him." Kerry did not specify what additional pressures might be applied. The head of the CIA had previously stated that the U.S. does not want extremist groups to take over in Syria. The last round of negotiations with representatives of the Syrian regime took place about three months ago in Moscow, where the main Western-backed opposition group was absent. Nearly four years of violent military conflict in Syria have resulted in at least 220,000 deaths, with about one-third of the Syrian population displaced, and the Islamic State (ISIS) controlling parts of Syria and establishing its caliphate in Raqqa. Kerry emphasized the importance of negotiation, stating, "The significance of negotiation is that no military solution is viable, and the only solution is political. We must clearly convey to him (Bashar al-Assad) that everyone is seeking a political solution so that he changes his calculations regarding negotiations and comes to the table. This is the path we are currently pursuing." Kerry did not provide further details on what actions are being taken or what options are being considered. He conducted this interview in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, before heading to Lausanne, Switzerland, for talks with the Iranian delegation regarding nuclear negotiations.