23-11-2024 09:02 AM Jerusalem Timing

Kerry Admits Syria Gains in Qusayr, Urges Assad to Commit to Peace

Kerry Admits Syria Gains in Qusayr, Urges Assad to Commit to Peace

US Secretary of State John Kerry admitted on Wednesday the Syrian Army has achieved great gains in the northern border city of Qusayr, but saying they are not permanent.

US Secretary of State John KerryUS Secretary of State John Kerry admitted on Wednesday the Syrian Army has achieved great gains in the northern border city of Qusayr, but saying they are not permanent.

Ahead of a meeting of the so-called ‘Friends of Syria’ group in Amman, Kerry called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to make "a commitment to find peace in his country."

In the same context, Kerry threatened if President Assad is unwilling to negotiate on peace terms, U.S. and other countries will discuss increasing support to Syrian opposition, without elaborating what kind of support they will offer.

US Congress committee voted on Wednesday on a bill to arm Syrian terrorists in their fight against the Arab country.
 
Syria: Friends of Syria group, AmmanSpeaking at a press conference with his Jordanian counterpart, Nasser
Judeh, Kerry said a US-Russian proposed conference in Geneva seeks "to end the bloodshed what has cost tens of thousands of lives."

"We are committed to try to work this evening to find the unity in specific approaches, to find the unity to implement Geneva 1...that will allow the people of Syria to choose the future of Syria," he said.

That was a reference to an international conference last June in which several steps were laid down for ending the war, which were never implemented.

The foreign ministers of Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States are attending the Amman gathering.

The meeting seeks to discuss US-Russian proposal to hold a peace conference dubbed "Geneva 2" to bring together the opposition and representatives of the Syrian government.