The passage of the “Anti-Normalization with the Syrian Regime Act of 2023” by the Foreign Relations Committee in the US Congress constituted a glimmer of hope for the Syrian opposition to prevent the Syrian regime from floating, at a time when Bashar al-Assad is participating in the Arab summit that is being held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the first time in 12 years. After freezing Syria’s membership in the League of Arab States.
The Syrian opposition is counting on the new law, which prevents US administrations from recognizing the legitimacy of any government headed by Assad, and on “firm” Western positions towards normalization with the Syrian regime.
In the face of what appears to be a state of “indifference” on the part of Arab countries marked by American rejection, questions are being raised about Washington’s ability to stop the scheme to float the Syrian regime.
The stick of American sanctions is present
Farouk Bilal, head of the “Syrian American Council” (a coalition of Syrian-American organizations that contributed to the drafting of the bill), says that the “combating normalization with Assad” law comes to put pressure on the Biden administration, and push it to speed up to stop the scheme to float the Syrian regime.
And he adds to “Arabic21He added that the House of Representatives was keen to pass the bill before the Arab summit, to send a message that the US sanctions stick is present strongly to prevent the scheme to float the Syrian regime, considering that “the draft is a call for the US administration to do something towards increasing openness to the regime.”
In turn, the political advisor of the “American Coalition for Syria,” Qutaiba Idlibi, confirms that the law prevents the transition of normalization with the regime to the stage of floating the latter, and adds to “Arabic21“The law places obstacles in front of Arab countries that want to float the regime.”
And Idlibi continues, that the project requires this administration and other administrations to hold accountable those who seek to float the Syrian regime, adding that “the law needs time before it is passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate until it is signed by the American president.”
The Biden administration is indecisive
As for the founder and head of the “Syria Freedom Way-America” organization, Dr. Hisham Al-Nashwati, he called for a distinction between the US administration and the Congress, explaining that “the majority of members of Congress from the Democratic and Republican parties adopt solid positions towards the Syrian regime, and push towards holding it accountable, while the US administration” Democracy “does not adopt firm positions.”
He continued, speaking toArabic21“The administration may show flexibility to achieve its interests in the Middle East,” stressing that “the American organizations in Syria seek to use the authority of Congress to prevent the administration from making concessions to the Syrian regime.”
In conclusion, Nashawati believes that the next stage will be difficult for the Syrian regime, which makes the calculations of the Arab state complicated in terms of floating the Syrian regime, and therefore normalization with the regime will not go beyond the political side.
He says that “the seriousness of Congress will limit the speed of the process of normalization with the regime, and America’s interest in general is not in favor of floating the regime, nor in neutralizing its influence in the Middle East region, on behalf of the Sino-Russian axis,” concluding with reference to Washington’s respect for moral and humanitarian values and principles that prevent it from Float the regime that committed crimes against humanity.
On the day that Bashar al-Assad went to Saudi Arabia to participate in the work of the Arab summit, the US State Department confirmed that it did not support the allies’ normalization with the regime, and Vedant Patel, deputy foreign ministry spokesman, said: “We do not believe that Syria deserves re-admission to the Arab League at this time.” This is a point that we discussed directly with our regional partners and in the Arab world.
He continued, “Our position is clear. We will not normalize relations with the Assad regime, and we certainly do not support others who do that either.”
Syrian opposition: Syria is not represented by a criminal
On the part of the Syrian opposition, the coalition described Assad’s attendance at the Arab summit as “a reward for the crimes he committed against the Syrian people.”
In a statement reachedArabic21On Friday, the coalition said that “Great Syria is not represented by the criminal Assad, and that the presence of the criminal regime in Syria’s seat in the Arab League means that Iran is attending the summit through its delegate and the bearer of its agenda and one of its tools in implementing its spiteful expansion project in the Arab countries, just as the excuse is to give the regime an opportunity Assad is a waste of time and procrastination that will only lead to more killing, arrest and tragedy because the Assad regime has an extensive record of deceit, lies and obstruction of any political process related to Syria.”
The statement stressed that “the Syrian people will not abandon their aspirations for freedom and independence, even if they remain alone, and will continue their revolution and rise up against Assad until the expected freedom is wrested, justice is achieved, and a democratic Syria is built.”
