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| U.S. Seeks to Bypass Assad So More Aid Can Reach Syrian Civilians | U.S. Seeks to Bypass Assad So More Aid Can Reach Syrian Civilians |
| (4 months later) | |
| LONDON — Increasingly flustered with the inability of the United Nations to deliver aid to war victims in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that the United States was considering ways to increase the delivery of aid without the consent of President Bashar al-Assad’s government. | |
| “We are open to the idea of providing aid through any means that will get to the people who need it,” Mr. Kerry said after a meeting here on the Syria crisis that included his counterparts from 10 Western and Arab countries. | “We are open to the idea of providing aid through any means that will get to the people who need it,” Mr. Kerry said after a meeting here on the Syria crisis that included his counterparts from 10 Western and Arab countries. |
| “We are very frustrated with the current process,” Mr. Kerry added. “It is not getting to people. It’s going through one gate, one entryway, and it’s going through Damascus and/or controlled by the Assad regime. That’s unacceptable. We need to be able to get aid more directly, and we’re going to work to do that.” | “We are very frustrated with the current process,” Mr. Kerry added. “It is not getting to people. It’s going through one gate, one entryway, and it’s going through Damascus and/or controlled by the Assad regime. That’s unacceptable. We need to be able to get aid more directly, and we’re going to work to do that.” |
| He took part in a meeting of the so-called Friends of Syria group, also known as the London 11, that opposes Mr. Assad’s government. The meeting was attended by Ahmad Jarba, the head of the moderate Syrian opposition. | He took part in a meeting of the so-called Friends of Syria group, also known as the London 11, that opposes Mr. Assad’s government. The meeting was attended by Ahmad Jarba, the head of the moderate Syrian opposition. |
| Mr. Kerry’s comments were echoed in a statement from the Friends of Syria, which pledged in a joint communiqué to “step up efforts to deliver humanitarian aid across borders and across lines irrespective of the consent of the regime.” | Mr. Kerry’s comments were echoed in a statement from the Friends of Syria, which pledged in a joint communiqué to “step up efforts to deliver humanitarian aid across borders and across lines irrespective of the consent of the regime.” |
| That pledge directly challenges United Nations policy to deliver aid across Syria’s borders only with the consent of Mr. Assad’s government. The policy is under new scrutiny, from both United Nations officials and donors. | That pledge directly challenges United Nations policy to deliver aid across Syria’s borders only with the consent of Mr. Assad’s government. The policy is under new scrutiny, from both United Nations officials and donors. |
| The United States, Britain and other donor nations already fund nongovernmental organizations that ferry cross-border aid convoys without permission from Damascus. Britain publicly said last week that it would divert more aid to the nongovernmental groups. | The United States, Britain and other donor nations already fund nongovernmental organizations that ferry cross-border aid convoys without permission from Damascus. Britain publicly said last week that it would divert more aid to the nongovernmental groups. |
| Mr. Kerry’s comments appeared to indicate that the United States might be prepared to follow suit or would press the United Nations to consider new ways to deliver the assistance, although he said a “decision has not been categorically made.” | Mr. Kerry’s comments appeared to indicate that the United States might be prepared to follow suit or would press the United Nations to consider new ways to deliver the assistance, although he said a “decision has not been categorically made.” |
| Two days before the Friends of Syria meeting, Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations envoy to the moribund peace talks, resigned in frustration and France’s foreign minister said there was evidence that the Syrian government had carried out 14 attacks in recent months using chemical agents, especially chlorine. | Two days before the Friends of Syria meeting, Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations envoy to the moribund peace talks, resigned in frustration and France’s foreign minister said there was evidence that the Syrian government had carried out 14 attacks in recent months using chemical agents, especially chlorine. |
| The United States and its allies have been urging Mr. Assad to agree to a political transition in which he would give up power. Instead, Mr. Assad appears to be cementing his hold on the presidency and is even planning to hold elections next month in the midst of the civil war, now in its fourth year. | The United States and its allies have been urging Mr. Assad to agree to a political transition in which he would give up power. Instead, Mr. Assad appears to be cementing his hold on the presidency and is even planning to hold elections next month in the midst of the civil war, now in its fourth year. |
| “A political solution has clearly become more distant,” said William Hague, the British foreign secretary. | “A political solution has clearly become more distant,” said William Hague, the British foreign secretary. |
| The communiqué issued Thursday by the Friends of Syria denounced Mr. Assad’s plans as illegitimate. | The communiqué issued Thursday by the Friends of Syria denounced Mr. Assad’s plans as illegitimate. |
| “Under rules set by the regime, such elections will be devoid of political participation of millions of Syrians,” the group said. | “Under rules set by the regime, such elections will be devoid of political participation of millions of Syrians,” the group said. |
| Mr. Kerry said the United States and its partners would step up their support of the moderate Syrian resistance in order to change “the dynamics on the ground in Syria.” | Mr. Kerry said the United States and its partners would step up their support of the moderate Syrian resistance in order to change “the dynamics on the ground in Syria.” |
| But Mr. Kerry did not commit to providing the surface-to-air missiles that Mr. Jarba says the rebels urgently need for protection from air attack. The communiqué, which was only two paragraphs long, was short on specifics. | But Mr. Kerry did not commit to providing the surface-to-air missiles that Mr. Jarba says the rebels urgently need for protection from air attack. The communiqué, which was only two paragraphs long, was short on specifics. |
| Mr. Kerry said the United States was evaluating evidence that chlorine attacks had occurred. | Mr. Kerry said the United States was evaluating evidence that chlorine attacks had occurred. |
| “I’ve seen the raw data that suggests there may have been, as France has suggested, a number of instances in which chlorine has been used in the conduct of war,” he said. | “I’ve seen the raw data that suggests there may have been, as France has suggested, a number of instances in which chlorine has been used in the conduct of war,” he said. |
| On the issue of aid, Mr. Kerry reiterated accusations expressed by Mr. Assad’s opponents that he had used the denial of food and other humanitarian aid as a means of forcing rebellious cities and towns, like Homs, to submit. | On the issue of aid, Mr. Kerry reiterated accusations expressed by Mr. Assad’s opponents that he had used the denial of food and other humanitarian aid as a means of forcing rebellious cities and towns, like Homs, to submit. |
| Mr. Kerry’s frustration over the delivery of aid to Syria reflected what critics of Mr. Assad call a serious and longstanding problem. | Mr. Kerry’s frustration over the delivery of aid to Syria reflected what critics of Mr. Assad call a serious and longstanding problem. |
| “The primary obstacle to the ability of the U.N to bring lifesaving assistance to Syrians is the cooperation of the Assad regime, which on any given day is somewhere between grudging and nonexistent,” said Frederic C. Hof, a former Statement Department official who has worked on Syria issues and is now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. | “The primary obstacle to the ability of the U.N to bring lifesaving assistance to Syrians is the cooperation of the Assad regime, which on any given day is somewhere between grudging and nonexistent,” said Frederic C. Hof, a former Statement Department official who has worked on Syria issues and is now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. |
| “Many in the U.N., with the support of the U.S. government, want to adopt an aggressive cross-border humanitarian aid program,” Mr. Hof said. | “Many in the U.N., with the support of the U.S. government, want to adopt an aggressive cross-border humanitarian aid program,” Mr. Hof said. |