US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Ethan Goldrich discussed with the head of Syrian Civil Defense Raed al-Saleh the vital work that the organization is doing to save lives through preparation, response, and recovery operations.
The US embassy tweeted that Washington "is committed to seeking accountability for those responsible for atrocities in Syria," noting that for 11 years, the regime "has detained, tortured, and committed crimes against Syrians, but impunity will end. This month, we highlight how Syrians and the international community are pursuing accountability for these crimes."
Goldrich was set to host on Thursday European Union, Arab and European envoys to discuss Syria. UN envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, was expected to brief them on the latest political developments.
The gatherers will hold consultations on the field developments in Syria, the positions of Arab nations that are open to normalizing relations with Damascus, and the impact the Ukraine war will have on the country.
Washington has notably invited Turkey to the talks. It had previously asked Ankara for the first such meetings held in Brussels in December.
The invite is part of US efforts to steer Turkey away from Russia, ease tensions, and mitigate the severity of the situation due to Washington's support to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Pedersen is scheduled to host the meeting of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva, starting Mar. 21, with the participation of delegations from the government, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), and the civil society.
