As Secretary Kerry and many members of the Administration have said many times, the only way to bring an end to the suffering of the Syrian people is through a genuine political solution consistent with the Geneva principles.
By necessity there has always been a need for representatives of the Asad regime to be a part of this process. It would not be and has never been Asad who would negotiate – and the Secretary was not saying that today.
Our policy has not changed–there is no future for a brutal dictator like Asad in Syria and we remain committed to pursuing all diplomatic avenues to negotiating a political solution. As the President and Secretary Kerry have said, Asad has lost all legitimacy, and his regime’s brutality against the Syrian people has helped violent extremists recruit support.
