Arab countries engaged in a rapprochement with President Bashar Al Assad should "get something" in return, a senior US official said on Thursday, accusing his Syrian regime of being behind an illegal drug trade devastating the region.
Barbara Leaf, Assistant Secretary of State, said the US had sent a message that it would not follow suit by its recent imposition of sanctions on two Assad family members for their suspected role the smuggling of the amphetamine known as Captagon.
Ms Leaf, who has visited in Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, and Tunisia in the past two weeks, said the drug was "a new, terrible scourge across the region" and blamed much of its trade on the Assad government.
"The profiting from the Captagon trade is just another terrible example of why this [Syrian] regime deserves to be treated as the rogue it is," said Ms Leaf, whose portfolio is the Near East region.
"We don't intend to normalise," she said from London. "This regime is such a disaster for its people but also for its neighbourhood."
A drive for region-wide normalisation with Damascus has accelerated in the past two months after the earthquake last month affected parts of Syria and made it easier to deal more directly with the Syrian government.
This month, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said consensus was building in the Arab world that talks with Damascus were needed, particularly on the humanitarian situation in Syria.
But Prince Faisal said it was "too early to discuss" the return of Syria to the Arab League.
Saudi Arabia is the main market for Captagon manufactured in Lebanon and Syria. Arab officials say areas in and around Damascus have become the manufacturing centre for the narcotic, with billions of dollars' worth flowing through Jordan and on to Saudi Arabia, as well as by sea.
Many Arab countries downgraded ties with the regime in Damascus for its violent suppression of the 2011 revolt against five decades of Assad family rule.
Ms Leaf said Washington has had discussions with its Middle East allies about "their shift in policy".
"They want to try engagement," she said. "Our approach on that score is that make sure to get something for that engagement.
"I would put ending the Captagon trade right at the top, alongside the other issues ... that go to providing relief to the Syrian people from the terrible decade of oppression that they suffered."
She cited the regime's failure to adhere to UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for an unidentified political transition in the country as well as the release of prisoners, which human rights groups say number in the thousands.
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Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
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Winner: Jinjal, Fabrice Veron, Ahmed Al Shemaili
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Winner: Al Sail, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
The Saga Continues
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(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
