US top diplomat addresses embassy suspension in Syria, cites security concerns

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has outlined the key factors behind the continued suspension of US embassy operations in Syria, emphasizing that security concerns remain the primary obstacle to reopening diplomatic missions.

With the US embassy currently operating from Türkiye, Rubio acknowledged the complexity of efforts to stabilize the region and the ongoing challenges faced by Syria’s interim government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Caliber.Az reports, citing US Department of State.

"We don’t have an embassy in Syria. It’s operating out of Türkiye. But we need to help them. 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 said.

The US government is considering various forms of assistance to help Syria's transitional government address urgent needs. Rubio stressed that this engagement may represent the first test of a new model in US foreign policy, one that emphasizes decisions driven "from the bottom up, not from the top down." This model aims to tailor solutions to the unique circumstances of each region, recognizing the necessity of focused, context-specific responses.

However, Rubio made clear that the ongoing suspension of embassy operations is largely motivated by the security situation in Syria, where armed factions that have not aligned with the transitional government continue to pose significant risks. "It's entirely driven by security concerns," Rubio explained. "It's not the transitional authorities. We don't think they would harm us, but there are other elements on the ground in Syria."

These "other elements" include various groups such as Alawites who remain loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad, as well as factions from anti-Assad and Islamic State-aligned militant groups that have refused to join the newly formed unified Syrian army. Rubio pointed out that these factions continue to create instability and present threats to US personnel and operations in the region.

"We have all kinds of requirements that are there for a reason. If someone is hurt, do you have a medical evacuation plan? Can you secure a facility from an attack from an armed group, many of whom are still running loose in the country? Unfortunately, it's one of the fundamental challenges the transitional authority is facing," Rubio noted. The continued presence of armed groups scattered across Syria complicates efforts to restore stability and ensure the safety of diplomatic personnel.

Despite these challenges, Rubio underscored the importance of continued engagement with Syria's transitional government. The US is exploring avenues for providing aid to stabilize the situation, with the hope that supporting the interim authorities will help avoid further chaos and regional destabilization. However, as Rubio pointed out, the success of such efforts remains uncertain and is largely dependent on the evolving security dynamics in Syria.

By Vafa Guliyeva