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Kerry Says He Is Preparing Proposals on Syria Crisis Kerry Says Trip Will Focus on Finding Syria Solution
(about 4 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that he had ideas about how to persuade President Bashar al-Assad to agree to a political transition in Syria and planned to raise them on his first foreign trip this month. WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that he planned to use his first foreign trip to advance new ideas about how to persuade President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to yield power and agree to a political transition.
“We need to address the question of President Assad’s calculation currently,” Mr. Kerry said after a meeting with Jordan’s foreign minister, Nasser Judeh. “I believe there are additional things that can be done to change his current perception. I’ve got a good sense of what I think we might propose.” Mr. Kerry’s itinerary has not been formally announced, but he is expected to go to Europe and the Middle East later this month.
Mr. Kerry did not say what proposals he had in mind. He is expected to travel to the Middle East and Europe, but the trip has not been formally announced. Though the United States has sought to encourage a negotiated handover of authority to a transitional government, Mr. Assad’s determination to cling to power has proved to be a major, and so far insurmountable, impediment.
“I can assure you my goal is to see us change his calculation, my goal is to see us have a negotiated outcome and minimize the violence,” Mr. Kerry said. “It may not be possible. I am not going to stand here and tell you that’s automatic or easily achievable. There are a lot of forces that have been unleashed here over the course of the last months.” “I believe there are additional things that can be done to change his current perception,” Mr. Kerry said. “My goal is to see us change his calculation.”
Mr. Kerry made a similar statement during his Senate confirmation hearing last month. Despite his caution that progress might not be possible, the effect of Mr. Kerry’s comments was to heighten expectations for his trip. Mr. Kerry is also expected to try to make headway on the issues dividing the Palestinians and the Israelis and set the stage for President Obama’s trip to Israel next month. Mr. Kerry did not say what ideas he had in mind. But he stressed the importance of trying to find common ground with the Russians, whose cooperation the Americans have long sought in trying to convince Mr. Assad that he is isolated internationally.
Mr. Kerry’s comment on Syria came a day after Mr. Obama said little about the Syria crisis in his State of the Union address. In that speech, Mr. Obama said he would keep pressure on the Syrian regime, but he did not voice confidence, as he had in his 2012 address, that Mr. Assad would soon be forced to relinquish power. Russia has publicly insisted that Mr. Assad’s departure from power should not be a precondition for negotiations between the rebels and the government. Russia has also continued to ship arms to the Assad government and provide financial support, American officials say.
Mr. Kerry said that Mr. Obama would begin by listening to Israeli and Arab leaders and would not be bringing a major new proposal. Mr. Kerry’s comments followed a meeting at the State Department with Jordan’s foreign minister, Nasser Judeh, who made similar comments about the need to narrow differences between Syrian rebels, who have demanded that Mr. Assad give up before a political transition is worked out, and the Syrian president’s supporters.
“The president is not prepared at this point in time to do more than listen to the parties, which is why he has announced he is going to go to Israel,” he said. “The positions are far apart, one requiring immediate departure, one saying that discussions will not take place if that is the precondition,” Mr. Judeh said. “So I think you have to go down the middle and try to bridge the two positions together. And I think we’ve seen some initiatives in that regard.”
King Abdullah of Jordan is planning to visit Russia soon to discuss Middle East issues, including Syria. And Mr. Kerry indicated that he planned to follow up those discussions.
Mr. Kerry’s comment on Syria came a day after Mr. Obama said little about the Syria crisis in his State of the Union address. In that speech, Mr. Obama said he would keep pressure on the Syrian government and support the Syrian opposition politically. But he did not voice confidence, as he had in his 2012 address, that Mr. Assad would soon be forced to relinquish power.
Mr. Obama rebuffed a proposal last year by the heads of the C.I.A., State Department and Pentagon that the United States vet and arm a cadre of Syrian rebels. And there has been no indication that the White House is actively reconsidering that plan.
Mr. Kerry lowered expectations for the trip Mr. Obama is planning to Israel next month, saying that the president would begin by listening to Israeli and Arab leaders and would not be bringing a major new proposal.
“The president is not prepared, at this point in time, to do more than to listen to the parties, which is why he has announced he’s going to go to Israel,” Mr. Kerry said. “I think we start out by listening and get a sense of what the current state of possibilities are and then begin to make some choices.”