US Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey has contacted several European and Arab officials and Syrian opposition figures to inform them that his mission was coming to an end and that the US policy would not change if Joe Biden won the presidency.
Special Envoy for Syria Joel Rayburn, who has attended most of Jeffrey’s meetings ever since his appointment in mid-2018, will take over his mission.
“This is a sign that the (US) policy continues at this stage pending the formation of the new administration,” said European officials.
Ever since coming to office, Jeffrey, 75, has contributed to formulating the US policy towards Syria, including the military presence in the northeast to prevent an ISIS resurgence, supporting the Kurdish administration, keeping economic sanctions on regime-linked figures through the Caesar Act, keeping contact with Arab and European states to prevent normalization with Damascus, supporting Turkey in northwestern Syria, and backing Israel in its airstrikes on Iranian sites.
Jeffrey believes that such moves “have worsened (Syria’s) economic crisis and increased pressure on Syria and drew Russia further into the Syrian quagmire, the officials said.
He has repeatedly said that the maximum pressure campaign on Damascus aims to achieve a series of objectives, including weakening Iranian influence, pushing Damascus to give up its chemical weapons, not to threaten countries neighboring Syria, and not back terrorists, implementing Security Council Resolution 2254, creating the right conditions for the return of refugees, in addition to holding those who have committed war crimes accountable.
In his phone calls with European officials, Jeffrey said US policy towards Syria “will continue” no matter who wins the elections.
“I see no change in our troop presence, I see no change in our sanctions policy, I see no change in our demand that Iran leave Syria, be it with a Biden administration or Trump one,” he said.
In an interview with Syria Direct, Jeffrey said: “We've sanctioned about 75 individuals under the Caesar Act, and under other acts that we found in certain circumstances make more sense. This is just the beginning of what will be further waves of sanctions.”
“Again, we're starting off with the people closest to (Bashar) Assad because we think that it is very important to focus on the accountability of those people who have financed him and on those people who have enabled his military machine.”
Among Jeffrey’s latest efforts, was a campaign to guarantee a European and Arab boycott for the conference on Syrian refugees that is set to take place in Damascus on November 11-12.
“He succeeded in this efforts because European countries decided to boycott (the conference). Both Lebanon and Jordan will send low-ranking diplomatic delegations to the conference’s opening session,” said the officials.
The UN representative in Damascus has also sent a written statement to the Syrian foreign ministry, informing it that he would attend the conference as an observer.
“Only Cuba, the Philippines, Armenia and Iran will take part in the conference, which is a major setback for Moscow and a success for Washington,” said one official.
In his interview with Syria Direct, Jeffrey called for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to leave Syria.
“We want to see the PKK cadre leave Syria. That is a major reason why there is tension with Turkey in the northeast, we want to reduce that tension because in all other areas other than the northeast, we have very close coordination with Turkey on the Syrian situation.”
