Virtual Press Conference with Acting Under Secretary John Bass: Insights & Updates

MODERATOR:  Hello to all from the U.S. Department of State’s London International Media Hub.  I would like to extend a warm welcome to our attendees joining us from Türkiye, Syria, and various parts of the world for this briefing with Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs John Bass regarding his trip to Ankara and discussions with the Turkish Government concerning Syria.  We have a 30-minute timeframe for this briefing, which is officially recorded.

We are happy to present this briefing with simultaneous interpretation into Arabic, so we kindly ask everyone to be mindful of this and to articulate slowly.

Our speaker will begin with some introductory comments, after which he will respond to queries from participating journalists.

I will now hand it over to Under Secretary Bass for his opening statements.  Sir, the stage is yours.

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  Thank you, Liz.  Colleagues, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, depending on your location.  I am wrapping up a one-and-a-half-day visit here in Ankara along with several colleagues from various sectors of the U.S. Government who accompanied me for our latest round of discussions with interagency colleagues within the Turkish Government under the framework of a Syria Working Group we established last year between our two nations.

The central aim of our visit has been to examine the most recent developments in Syria and explore how we can collaborate, how we can partner with Syria’s neighboring countries, and with our allies in the Middle East and Europe to endorse the ongoing transition in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime.

This visit is part of an extensive effort by the United States Government to engage with countries throughout the region and Europe on how we can unite our efforts to assist the Syrian populace in seizing this moment to forge a better future.

The meetings held in Ankara, including this latest session this afternoon of our Syria Working Group, have proven to be fruitful and constructive.  In these detailed discussions, we focused on methods that, either collectively or in a complementary manner, we can facilitate a responsible transition in Syria that, over time, empowers the Syrian Government to regain its responsibilities and execute government functions that are typically provided by national authorities but which have, for several reasons – particularly the civil war in Syria resulting from the atrocities and suppression by the Assad regime – led to vast areas of Syria being beyond the control of the national government, and certainly outside the realm of responsible national authorities.

A key aspect of the ordinary functions of governance discussed today was the management of international borders, recognized internationally, and maintaining internal security within the state.  In that context, we deliberated on specific measures that need to be taken to ensure that this transitional phase does not trigger the resurgence of Daesh or other foreign terrorist entities that have been present within Syria and pose threats to the citizens of Syria, to Syria’s neighboring countries, or to any other nations.

Moreover, we thoroughly reviewed a variety of initiatives that the United States and other nations have undertaken to assist the interim authorities in Damascus in addressing the urgent needs of the Syrian populace, including support from other governments for matters such as salary disbursements for the civilian administration at the national level, donations of energy resources, and other essential measures aimed at stabilizing the Syrian Government, revitalizing the economy, and instilling hope among the Syrian people that this transition will bring about a brighter future for all citizens of the nation.

With that, I am ready to answer your questions.

MODERATOR:  Thank you, Under Secretary Bass.  We will now commence the question-and-answer segment of today’s call.  Our initial inquiry is a pre-submitted question from Serkan Demirtaş of Hurriyet Daily News in Türkiye.  Serkan inquires:  “What specific proposals does the United States have to address Türkiye’s security concerns arising from the YPG presence along its borders?”

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  Firstly, I would emphasize that the United States firmly believes that the situation in Syria – Syria itself should not represent a threat to any of its neighbors, to nations in the broader region, or to countries further away, whether in Europe, the United States, or elsewhere across the globe.  My government is acutely aware of the significant challenges posed to Turkish society due to the prolonged civil war in Syria and the enduring presence of Daesh in the area.  We deeply respect the compassion of the Turkish Government and the Turkish people for hosting over 3 million refugees for well over a decade.  It is in this context that we have been engaging in discussions today as well as previously about how we can collaboratively work to ensure that as this transition unfolds within Syria, it not only creates a better, safer environment within Syria for all Syrians but also addresses the security concerns of Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria’s other adjoining nations.

Regarding Türkiye and the presence of the YPG, along with other foreign terrorist fighters in Syria, this has been a principal focus of our discussions.  We have diligently worked on strategies to ensure that responsibilities for security within Syria revert back to the national government from the numerous armed factions that exist across different regions of Syria which have, in some cases, been providing local security and working in a manner that will gradually reinforce the national government.  In this respect, it is indeed a zero-sum scenario, as security should be a responsibility managed by the national government across the national territory.

What we are striving to achieve in this visit and in the forthcoming days and weeks is to facilitate a responsible transition.  By “facilitating a transition,” I mean enabling the appropriate kind of transition through constructive engagement between various Syrian factions, including the Syrian Democratic Forces, incorporating the YPG elements in northeastern Syria, and the national government, ensuring that this transition occurs in a responsible manner that contributes to the strengthening of national forces over time and the reconstruction of a military and police service that adequately fulfills its duties and obligations to the people of Syria.  This must be accomplished without creating immediate risks, whether within Syria, here in Türkiye, or for other governments facing threats from terrorist organizations that may wish to exploit such transitional periods.

Thus, facilitating a national government, particularly one that is in an interim status and requires significant internal collaboration with other segments of Syrian society to define its future structure, is a multifaceted challenge that requires careful navigation.

of reinstating these internal security duties across the whole region. However, we and many of our allies and collaborators, including those here in Türkiye, are dedicated to aiding the interim authorities in Damascus in achieving this.

MODERATOR:  We will now take a live question from the queue, and we’ll turn to Rabia Iclal Turan from Anadolu Agency.  Rabia, please proceed with your question.

QUESTION:  Thank you, Elizabeth, and I appreciate it, Ambassador, for conducting this session.  I have a follow-up concerning northern Syria, if I may.  The Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan recently issued an ultimatum to the PKK/YPG in Syria, demanding that PKK fighters and leaders from other nations withdraw, and shortly after, Secretary Blinken remarked during a press briefing in Paris that Washington and Ankara are collaborating on the exit of the so-called “foreign members” of the SDF.  Is there an agreement between Washington and Ankara regarding the expulsion of PKK elements from Syria?  Are you urging the PKK to exit Syria?

Moreover, I have a quick follow-up, if permitted.  We are aware that President-elect Donald Trump adopts a different stance on Syria compared to the current Administration, which has only ten days remaining in office.  How does this affect your interactions with Ankara?  Thank you.

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  As Secretary Blinken mentioned, we concur with the Government of Türkiye and several other nations that Syria should not, and must not in the future, serve as a sanctuary for foreign terrorist organizations or foreign combatants.  We hold the belief that any foreign terrorist present within Syria should depart the country.  Ideally, many of those individuals will return to their countries of origin through a responsible process that involves those governments, potentially to face justice for their actions.

However, they should no longer remain in Syria, contributing to instability, which includes any foreign terrorists who have exploited the prolonged unpredictability in Syria to establish themselves—whether in northeastern Syria, southwestern, southern, or southeastern regions.  We are not selecting or prioritizing among foreign terrorist groups, and we recognize the Turkish Government’s focus on addressing the most pressing issues for Türkiye’s government, its citizens, and the broader society.

Simultaneously, we believe it is crucial to collaborate on this transition and the withdrawal of any foreign terrorist combatants in ways that do not exacerbate the instability in Syria, that do not create new chances for Daesh to engage in terrorist activities or attempt to facilitate the escape of organization members from prison, and to ensure that the measures taken by interim authorities to foster and enhance security within the nation contribute to improving overall safety conditions for all Syrians.

MODERATOR:  Next, we’ll take a question from the chat, directed to Ahmad Zakaria from Syria 24.  Ahmad inquires:  “What is the future of al-Hol camp in the al-Hasakah countryside and the prisons housing ISIS affiliates in eastern Syria?  Are there any forthcoming plans regarding them?”

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  The discussions today reflected a series of dialogues among the United States, Türkiye, the Government of Iraq, and several other governments regarding the significance of gradually decreasing the population of detention facilities in Syria, and ensuring that individuals currently held in those facilities can return to their countries of origin for reintegration into those communities.  We have seen significant progress in recent weeks and months in reducing the overall population of al-Hol, and we remain committed to continuing our support for the efforts to repatriate those family members of extremists who have been present there, ensuring they experience a humane transition and reintegration into their original societies.

MODERATOR:  Thank you.  Next, we will take a question from the live queue, and we’ll go to Abdulhalim Sulaiman of Independent Arabia in Iraq.  Abdulhalim, please proceed with your question.

QUESTION:  Good evening.  Thank you, Elizabeth.  (Inaudible) Mr. John, I will pause for interpretation.  Kindly hold on for a moment.

Okay, my question is:  Are there any negotiations occurring between Türkiye and the Syrian Democratic Forces under your supervision, sir?  Is there any agreement on disarming the border region and deploying international forces, possibly French and American, around Kobani and other areas along the border in northeastern Syria?  What is Türkiye’s response to your efforts there?  Thank you.

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  Thank you for your inquiry.  The United States believes, as I mentioned earlier, that the national government of Syria should, over time, once again assume responsibility for the internationally recognized borders of Syria and take charge of suitable border control and security.

The speed at which this can happen is partly dependent on the ability of the interim authorities to take on those responsibilities and provide effective border management in coordination with Syria’s neighboring countries.  There are varying dynamics, as you know, along different segments of Syria’s border with its various neighbors, so I cannot specify a precise timeline for when this will occur.  Nevertheless, we are committed to doing everything possible to foster conditions that will allow a national government to reclaim these important responsibilities.

An effective transition and ensuring positive momentum and progress that enables the interim government to develop its capabilities over time is essential. This gives the Syrian populace and the international community confidence that they are working to be responsible members of the global community and addressing the needs of the Syrian people. This requires preventing a resurgence of large-scale conflict within Syria and ensuring that factions within the country, which have previously sought control over specific areas or resolved differences through violence, cease doing so and contribute to reinstating normal governmental functions, whether at the national level or in local governance regarding the management of various cities and regions in Syria.

Thus, we are operating within this framework, and we are conveying clearly to all parties within Syria with whom we maintain partnerships, or with whom we have collaborated, that our expectation as a government is that they will positively contribute to this transition and endorse the establishment of a national government in Damascus that acts responsibly towards its citizens, its neighbors, and the global community.

MODERATOR:  Next, we will take a pre-submitted question from Dilhan Deniz Kilislioğlu from NTV in Türkiye, who asks:  “Will the United States take any further measures regarding the lifting of sanctions on Syria?  What would the response be if Türkiye were to initiate an operation in Syria?”

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  As you may have observed, the United States took significant actions earlier this week to provide provisions under our existing sanctions framework that substantially broaden the scope of economic activities and the support that governments can extend to the interim government, helping it to operate effectively and ensuring that basic services can be offered to the Syrian…

individuals, and to ensure that circumstances do not deteriorate for the populace of Syria during this transitional phase.

Thus, we have authorized a number of very particular types of operations, including financial assistance from other nations for the provisional authorities in Damascus, to guarantee that technocrats and civil officials within the Syrian government can receive compensation and receive it at a livable income, if I may use that expression; to facilitate the provision of electricity or fuel to produce electricity or satisfy other requirements that tackle some of the primary obstacles that society has encountered; and additionally – a broader array of certain economic endeavors.

Moreover, we have confirmed that private financial dealings between Syrians abroad and Syrians within the country can take place, so that individuals who have been displaced over time due to this dreadful conflict can assist their family members or relatives who remain in the country during this difficult period.

We are actively in discussions with numerous governments, particularly Syria’s neighboring countries, along with nations in the Gulf, the Arab world, and Europe, regarding further methods in which we, alongside other countries and organizations implementing sanctions regimes, can make modifications to those regimes to permit the types of immediate assistance that are necessary to empower the interim authorities in achieving a successful transition and to aid the Syrian people in beginning to tackle the numerous demands that have accumulated over years of violence, suffering, and oppression from the Assad regime.

MODERATOR:  Next, we will take a question from the live queue, and we’ll now go to Mohamed Shehoud of Asharq News. Mohamed, please proceed and pose your question.

QUESTION:  Thank you. I need to inquire about the interaction between the current Biden administration and the forthcoming Trump administration, regarding Syria – and how this relates to your ongoing efforts concerning the removal of HTS or sanctions, or with Ahmed al-Sharaa.

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  Thank you. I am a senior representative of the existing United States Government. I cannot speak on behalf of the next U.S. administration, nor can I provide any insights at this moment into how U.S. policy may evolve under the new administration.

However, I am confident that those of our colleagues in the U.S. Government who have been diligently focused on these matters will exert every effort to ensure that incoming colleagues entering our government with the change in administration will, to the best of our abilities, be furnished with as much information as possible about the current conditions and dynamics, regarding the measures that the present U.S. Administration has implemented to support the interim authorities and address the needs of the Syrian populace, as well as some of the opportunities and potential hazards linked to actions that the new administration may opt to pursue, so that our next government in the United States can make well-informed choices regarding the policy decisions they are confronted with and regarding the policies and actions they will choose to undertake concerning Syria.

MODERATOR:  We will remain in the live queue and address a question from Diyar Kurda from Rudaw Media Network. Diyar, please go ahead and pose your question.

QUESTION:  Thank you very much, Elizabeth. Thank you, Ambassador, for this opportunity. I have a question. Kurdish officials in recent days have raised the concept that U.S. and French forces could secure the Syrian northern border to alleviate Türkiye’s security concerns. Have you discussed this matter with Turkish officials? Overall, what is the U.S. stance on this proposition? Thank you.

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  Thank you. Clearly, I cannot speak at any level for the French Government. However, I can convey that concerning my own government, we are acutely focused on the genuine security issues faced by the Turkish Government and Turkish society regarding the extent to which foreign terrorists, including the PKK, have sometimes exploited the situation in Syria, and the importance of ensuring that this transitional phase in Syria does not result in additional threats to Türkiye, Iraq, or indeed, any of Syria’s adjacent nations.

I would also emphasize that we are highly aware in our government of the dynamics where certain entities or nations might perceive the presence of U.S. forces as providing assurance; however, we are also cognizant that certain groups or individuals might attempt to leverage the presence of U.S. troops to engage in actions that undermine the security of neighboring nations, including Türkiye. We are committed to preventing such outcomes, and we are exercising caution based on this perspective to ensure that any adjustments we may consider to our presence and the operations of U.S. forces within Syria are conducted with the aim of not escalating risk or jeopardy for neighboring countries.

Our military presence in Syria is designated for a very specific objective, which is to safeguard that Daesh does not pose a renewed threat to the citizens of Syria, the citizens of Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan, or any other country, given the very harrowing decade in which we have all labored intensely to counter the geographical caliphate – the so-called caliphate – that Daesh established, and to assist in stabilizing, to aid the governments of the nations that Daesh destabilized – to support those governments in recovering from that dreadful ordeal. We do not wish to witness its resurgence, and it is precisely in this context that we are assessing how we can aid in a successful transition within Syria.

MODERATOR:  We have time for one final inquiry, which will be directed to Mohamed Maher from Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper in Egypt. Mohamed asks: “What is the U.S. position on the Syrian territories occupied by Israel following the downfall of the Assad regime? Does the U.S. envision taking part in mediating future discussions between Israel and Syria?”

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BASS:  Therefore, I cannot comment on the future, as I mentioned earlier – I am a member of the current Administration that will be departing office next week. Nevertheless, I can state that the United States government holds that all Syria’s neighbors should navigate this period – this transitional phase – while considering their own national security interests but doing so in ways that do not exacerbate instability inside Syria or divert the transitional authorities from focusing on a responsible transition and the urgent needs and concerns of the Syrian populace.

MODERATOR:  And that concludes today’s call. I apologize that we could not address all questions today. I would like to express gratitude to Under Secretary Bass for joining us, and I would like to thank all our journalists for their participation. If you have any inquiries regarding today’s call, you may reach out to the London International Media Hub at [email protected].