Kerry Says Assad Staying Is a Non-Starter in Syria Talks
- Secretary of state speaks before heading to talks in Vienna
- Russia's offering a plan that doesn't call for Assad to leave
US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks on the US strategy in Syria during an address at the United States Institute of Peace on Nov. 12, in Washington, DC.
Photographer: Mandel NGan/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The U.S. and its allies remain firmly opposed to any role for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s future, Secretary of State John Kerry said, drawing a sharp line of disagreement with Iran and Russia before talks in Vienna resume.
Asking the Syrian opposition “to trust Assad or to accept Assad’s leadership is simply not a reasonable request,” Kerry said on Thursday. “It is literally, therefore, a non-starter.” He acknowledged that the U.S. and its allies are “still working through” the question of Assad and his role with Russian and Iranian officials.