Media stakeout by Ambassador James Franklin Jeffrey, U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement and the Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, on the situation in Syria.


The United States Special Representative for Syria said the launch of the UN-facilitated Constitutional Committee is an “extraordinary diplomatic achievement,” adding that “we have an opportunity with this first step to execute UN resolution 2254 which is now, next month, four years old with very little progress until this launch.”

Speaking to reporters in New York today (22 Nov), James Jeffrey said he wanted to give credit to the UN for the launch of the Syrian Constitutional Committee describing UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen as the “architect” of this achievement. He said the US wanted to work with United Nations to move this political process forward, adding that the current situation in Syria was concerning to all.

Jeffrey said the Syrian Government launched an SS-21 missile yesterday, which is normally used for nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, against a hospital and IDP camp in Idlib and stressed that such actions much stop. He emphasized the need for a nationwide ceasefire starting in Idlib.

The US Special Representative said Iran was introducing long range weapons systems into the theatre of operation, mainly Syria, and as such is threating US allies, including Israel and Saudi Arabia. He said the US “supports Israel’s right to self-defence, and that includes supporting Israel’s acting in its self-defence. We’ve made this clear to everybody, including the Russians, and through them we believe it’s been passed on to the Syrians.”

Asked about President Trump’s stated strategy of seizing the oil fields in north-eastern Syria, Jeffrey said he had every belief that the strategy was in fact legal. He said the US military’s mission is to remain and ensure that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a viable player in the fight against Da’esh, which requires maintaining control of these oil fields. He added that this would keep the fields out of the hands of Da’esh and other nefarious actors in Syria.

Asked about the revenue being generated from the oil fields, the US Special Representative said, “The oil belongs, in the Syrian constitution, to the Syrian people. Elements of the Syrian people are now exploiting those oil fields, gaining revenue from those oil fields. We think it’s important that that continues unchallenged by Da’esh or other actors. That’s what we are doing in the north-east as concerns that particular economic asset.”

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