Current U.S. ambassador to Türkiye, Thomas Barrack, can be appointed as a particular envoy for Syria, an individual with direct information of the matter and a diplomat in Türkiye mentioned.
The choice follows Trump’s landmark announcement final week that U.S. sanctions on Syria could be lifted. It additionally suggests U.S. acknowledgement that Türkiye has emerged with key regional affect on Damascus since Bashar Assad’s ouster in December, which ended 14 years of civil warfare.
Trump met with Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia on May 14 and urged him to normalize ties with longtime foe Israel following his shock sanctions announcement.
“There is no announcement at this time,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson mentioned when requested for remark about Barrack’s Syria position.
Barrack, a non-public fairness government who has lengthy suggested Trump and chaired his inaugural presidential committee in 2016, is anticipated to proceed as U.S. envoy to Türkiye, the sources mentioned.
Speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned he was permitting Turkish embassy employees, together with Barrack, to work with native officers in Syria to grasp what help they want.
“We want to help that government succeed, because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos, which would, of course, destabilize the entire region,” Rubio mentioned.
A U.S.-Turkish assembly targeted on Syria was additionally held in Washington on Tuesday, which Barrack attended based on the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the place sanctions reduction and efforts to counter terrorism have been mentioned.
Removing U.S. sanctions would clear the best way for better engagement by humanitarian organizations working in Syria, and ease international funding and commerce because the nation tries to rebuild.
Barrack has been busy since he arrived in Ankara earlier this month, eating with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on his second night within the capital, based on folks conversant in the occasion.
He joined Rubio for a number of high-profile conferences final week, together with one with Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani in Antalya hosted by Fidan.
He and Rubio additionally met with Turkish and Ukrainian authorities ministers forward of the latter’s talks with Russian officers, the primary direct cease-fire discussions in three years between the warring sides.
Source: www.dailysabah.com