Engel & McCaul Lead Bipartisan Group Opposing Normalization of the Assad Regime in Syria

Original Press Release: https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/2020/10/engel-mccaul-lead-bipartisan-group-opposing-normalization-of-the-assad-regime-in-syria

Washington—Chairman Eliot L. Engel and Ranking Member Michael T. McCaul of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today led a bipartisan effort calling on the Administration to continue to make clear to our allies and partners that the United States opposes any efforts to renew diplomatic ties with or extend diplomatic recognition to the Assad regime. In a letter to Secretary Pompeo, the members expressed concern that various countries are renewing relations with the Assad regime and urged the Administration to redouble diplomatic efforts to discourage further normalization.

“The regime and its allies, Russia and Iran, are guilty of barbaric violence against the Syrian people. International organizations and human rights groups have documented the use of chemical weapons against civilians, indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure, deliberate use of siege tactics, and mass torture,” the lawmakers wrote. “Given the regime’s continued deplorable crimes against its own people, we urge the Department of State to continue to make clear—publicly and privately—to our allies and partners that the U.S. opposes any efforts to renew diplomatic ties with or extend formal diplomatic recognition to the Assad regime.”

The letter was signed by Representatives Theodore Deutch, Joe Wilson, Brad Sherman, Steve Chabot, Gregory W. Meeks, Albio Sires, Ted S. Yoho, D.V.M., Karen Bass, Adam Kinzinger, William R. Keating, Lee Zeldin, David N. Cicilline, Ann Wagner, Ami Bera, M.D., Brian Mast, Dina Titus, Brian Fitzpatrick, Adriano Espaillat, John Curtis, Ted W. Lieu, Guy Reschenthaler, Colin Allred, Mark Green, M.D., Abigail Spanberger, Tom Malinowski, David Trone, Jim Costa, Juan Vargas, and Vicente Gonzalez.

Full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary Pompeo,

As strong supporters of the Syrian people, we write to you with deep concern that various countries have taken steps to renew formal diplomatic ties with Bashar Al-Assad despite his ongoing and unrepentant brutality.

The House of Representatives condemned Assad for crimes against humanity and chronicled his regime’s violence in H.Res.1165, which the House passed on December 11, 2018, and in H.Con.Res.121, which the House passed on March 14, 2016. Congress has also used legislation to outline the behavioral criteria that the Syrian regime must meet to rejoin the international community. The regime must: cease the bombing of civilian areas and infrastructure; release political prisoners and allow for the safe and voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons; cease its support for terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad; cease research, development, and acquisition of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and ballistic missile technology; and allow full, unfettered access to the United Nations and other international observers to verify such activities have indeed ceased.  None of these criteria have been met.

The regime and its allies, Russia and Iran, are guilty of barbaric violence against the Syrian people. International organizations and human rights groups have documented the use of chemical weapons against civilians, indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure, deliberate use of siege tactics, and mass torture. For example, a June 2019 report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Investigation and Identification Team found that the Syrian Arab Air Force is responsible for the use of sarin as a chemical weapon in multiple attacks on civilians at Ltamenah on March 24 and 30, 2017, and of a chlorine chemical weapons attack on March 25, 2017. In 2020, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic released a report documenting extensive war crimes by the Russian Federation, the Assad regime, and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham between November 2019 and June 2020. Earlier this year, Assad and Russia engaged in a ruinous assault on civilians in Idlib province. No one could argue that the regime has abandoned the devastating tactics that originally led the international community to ostracize it.

For these reasons, we are alarmed by efforts of some in the Middle East and beyond to extend formal diplomatic recognition to the Assad regime. We support the position you articulated on June 17, 2020 that the U.S. will not cease its pressure on Assad and “will not stop until Assad and his regime stop their needless, brutal war against the Syrian people and the Syrian government agrees to a political solution to the conflict as called for by UNSCR 2254.”

We are pleased that the Administration has imposed sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which we strongly supported.  We look forward to working with you to ensure ongoing robust implementation of the Caesar Act, including sanctions, in order to communicate to the international community that the United States opposes any efforts to rehabilitate Assad and his cronies absent the behavior changes outlined in law.

Given the regime’s continued deplorable crimes against its own people, we urge the Department of State to continue to make clear—publicly and privately—to our allies and partners that the U.S. opposes any efforts to renew diplomatic ties with or extend formal diplomatic recognition to the Assad regime. We look forward to your response, and to continuing to work with you to support the Syrian people.

Sincerely,

Chairman Eliot L. Engel
Ranking Member Michael T. McCaul
Theodore Deutch, Member of Congress
Joe Wilson, Member of Congress
Brad Sherman, Member of Congress
Steve Chabot, Member of Congress
Gregory W. Meeks, Member of Congress
Albio Sires, Member of Congress
Ted S. Yoho, D.V.M., Member of Congress
Karen Bass, Member of Congress
Adam Kinzinger, Member of Congress
William R. Keating, Member of Congress
Lee Zeldin, Member of Congress
David N. Cicilline, Member of Congress
Ann Wagner, Member of Congress
Ami Bera, M.D., Member of Congress
Brian Mast, Member of Congress
Dina Titus, Member of Congress
Brian Fitzpatrick, Member of Congress
Adriano Espaillat, Member of Congress
John Curtis, Member of Congress
Ted W. Lieu, Member of Congress
Guy Reschenthaler, Member of Congress
Colin Allred, Member of Congress
Mark Green, M.D., Member of Congress
Abigail Spanberger, Member of Congress
Tom Malinowski, Member of Congress
David Trone, Member of Congress
Jim Costa, Member of Congress
Juan Vargas, Member of Congress
Vicente Gonzalez, Member of Congress