CHICAGO: Discussions to ensure a 鈥渞esponsible transition鈥� in Syria to prevent a rise in terrorism, provide basic services to citizens and ensure good relations with regional nations are progressing, the US acting undersecretary for political affairs told a press briefing attended by Arab News on Friday.

Concluding two days of talks with Turkish officials in Ankara, John Bass said the Syria Working Group also addressed defining Syria鈥檚 borders and 鈥渟trengthening internal security鈥� to prevent a resurgence of Daesh and other 鈥渇oreign terrorist organizations鈥� in the country.

Bass was careful not to predict how US policy might change under Donald Trump, nor would he address questions regarding Israel鈥檚 military attacks against Syria. 

鈥淲e鈥檝e also discussed in depth a range of steps that the United States and other governments have taken to enable the interim authorities in Damascus to address the immediate needs of the Syrian people, including via support from other governments for things like salaries, payments for the civilian administration at the national level, for donations of power or energy, and for some of the other measures that are required to stabilize the Syrian government, to stabilize the economy, and to give the Syrian people hope that this transition will yield a better future for all of the citizens of the country,鈥� Bass said.

鈥淲hat we鈥檙e working through 鈥� is how we can affect a responsible transition 鈥� so that it contributes to strengthening national forces over time and building, rebuilding a military and a police service that responsibly fulfills its duties and obligations to the Syrian people, but to do that in a way that doesn鈥檛 create immediate risk,鈥� he added.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a complicated process to help a national government, particularly one that鈥檚 an interim government that needs to do a lot of internal work with other parts of Syrian society to determine what that government will look like in the future.鈥�

Bass said the US is concerned that events in Syria do not 鈥減ose a threat to any of Syria鈥檚 neighbors, to countries in the wider region or to countries further afield, whether that鈥檚 in Europe, the United States or elsewhere around the world.鈥�

He added that 鈥渢he long-running civil war in Syria and the long-standing presence of Daesh鈥� in the country have created threats to neighboring nations.

鈥淚t鈥檚 in that spirit that we鈥檝e been engaging 鈥� in discussions about how we can help work together to ensure that as this transition continues inside Syria that it doesn鈥檛 just produce a better, safer environment inside Syria for all Syrians, it also addresses the security concerns of Turkiye, of Iraq, of Jordan, and of Syria鈥檚 other neighbors,鈥� he said.

The US 鈥済reatly鈥� admires 鈥渢he generosity of the Turkish government and the Turkish people in hosting over 3 million (Syrian) refugees for now well over a decade,鈥� he added. 

Bass said discussions were focused on ensuring that fighters of terrorist groups such as the Kurdistan Workers鈥� Party (PKK) are forced to return to their nations of origin.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in agreement with the government of Turkiye and a number of other governments that Syria can鈥檛 be, shouldn鈥檛 be in the future a safe haven for foreign terrorist organizations or foreign terrorist fighters. And we believe that any foreign terrorist that鈥檚 present inside Syria should leave the country,鈥� Bass said in addressing the PKK.

鈥淚deally, many of those people will be returning to their countries of origin, their countries of nationality, through a responsible process that involves those governments potentially to face justice for their actions.

鈥淏ut they should no longer be present in Syria, contributing to instability in the country. And that includes any foreign terrorists who have taken advantage of the long-term instability in Syria to set up shop whether it鈥檚 in northeastern Syria, whether it鈥檚 in southwestern or southern or southeastern Syria.鈥� 

Asked how Trump administration policies might differ, Bass said: 鈥淚鈥檓 a senior official of the current United States government. I can鈥檛 speak for the next US administration, nor can I offer any insights at this time into how US policy might change under the next administration.鈥�

He expressed confidence, however, that 鈥渃olleagues in the US government鈥� will continue to support Syria鈥檚 transition.

Bass also emphasized that the small US presence in Syria has one specific purpose, 鈥渢o ensure that Daesh doesn鈥檛 again become a threat to the people of Syria, the people of Turkiye, the people of Iraq or Jordan, or any other country.鈥�