U.S. State Department Spokesperson: Negotiation with Bashar al-Assad is Out of the Question

One day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated that to achieve peace in Syria, negotiations with Bashar al-Assad would ultimately be necessary, U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki asserted that Bashar al-Assad could never play a role in the peace negotiations. On Sunday, March 15, Kerry mentioned that significant pressure must be applied to Syria for the regime to enter a transitional phase, but ultimately, negotiations with Bashar al-Assad would be required. However, one day later, according to AFP, Psaki clarified regarding the Syrian peace negotiations, stating: "As we have long said, there has always been a need for representatives of the Assad regime to participate in that process." However, she added regarding participation in the peace process: "But that does not mean Bashar al-Assad himself, never and ever; and that was not John Kerry's intention either." Psaki emphasized that the United States is pursuing the demands of the "moderate opposition" in Syria, which is fighting to overthrow Bashar al-Assad's regime. She stressed: "Assad has no future in Syria... and we will take every step we can to end his rule." Kerry's remarks about dialogue with Bashar al-Assad sparked intense reactions both inside and outside the United States, with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu comparing negotiations with Bashar al-Assad to "shaking hands with Adolf Hitler." Bashar al-Assad himself reacted to Kerry's statements on Monday, saying, "We are listening to the statements and must wait for practical actions, and then we will decide." The Syrian President also added that "only Syrians can decide about their future." The civil war in Syria, which began four years ago, has resulted in over 220,000 deaths, and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflicts have so far been fruitless.