Washington doesn’t oppose federalism in Syria!

In a notable development that contradicts previous statements by US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, the US State Department confirmed that Washington doesn’t object to the establishment of a federal system or autonomous rule in Syria, believing that the form of the political system should be determined by the Syrians themselves.

US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said during a press conference, “The United States doesn’t oppose federalism in Syria, but the ultimate decision regarding the future of governance rests with the Syrians… We believe that the inclusion of all components of Syrian society in the political process is essential to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past”.

Bruce explained that Washington’s current priority is to support stability and establish a strong infrastructure that paves the way for a new beginning that achieves sustainable peace in Syria.

This statement comes just days after an opposing position announced by US envoy Tom Barrack, who emphasized his rejection of federalism, asserting that the United States wants a unified Syria with a constitution that guarantees fair representation in parliament, without the creation of separate entities, whether for the Druze, the Alawites, or the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF).

Barrack also indicated that the only way forward for the SDF is to reach an understanding with the central government in Damascus, stressing that there is no other option available but to return to the Syrian state.

In another context, the US spokeswoman addressed the recent violence in the southern Syrian province of As-Suwayda, expressing the United States’ strong condemnation of the escalation and its call for a permanent ceasefire.

Bruce confirmed that Washington has been leading intensive diplomatic efforts over the past few hours to ease tensions and work with various parties to reach a political solution that ends the conflict and restores stability to the region.

Bruce commended the dialogue initiatives that have already begun, explaining that Ambassador Tom Barrack has communicated with the conflicting parties, and that practical steps have been agreed upon to break the cycle of violence in the province.

The Syrian Interior Ministry and representatives of the Druze community announced Wednesday evening that they had reached a ceasefire agreement after four days of violent clashes between the Syrian army and Bedouin tribes on the one hand, and local Druze factions on the other.

According to the UK based, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the clashes resulted in the deaths of more than 374 people on all sides, including 27 civilians, including four women and an elderly man, who were killed in the field by personnel affiliated with the Ministries of Defense and Interior.