Syria's Assad awaits US 'actions' after Kerry comments

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said Monday he was waiting for action from Washington after Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged talks with Damascus were necessary to end the country's conflict.
The weekend remarks by the top US diplomat were quickly clarified by his spokeswoman, who said US policy was unchanged and Assad had no role in Syria's future.
But in Damascus, Kerry's statement was touted in the media as a policy reversal, and Assad said he was waiting to see whether they would be followed by action.
"We are still listening to the comments and we have to wait for the actions and then we'll decide," the Syrian leader told Iranian television in remarks carried by state media.
Assad has long accused Washington of "supporting terrorism" because of its backing for the Syrian opposition, and repeated Monday that any shift in policy required an end to that.
"We have no choice but to defend our country," he added.
"Any international changes that come about within that framework are something positive, if they are honest and have an effect on the ground."
- 'We have to negotiate' -
Kerry said in an interview broadcast Sunday that Washington could negotiate with Assad.
"Well, we have to negotiate in the end," the US envoy said, when asked by CBS television if he would negotiate with Assad.
Kerry stressed any negotiations would be in the context of the Geneva communique.
The document, produced after 2012 peace talks, calls for a transitional governing body with full executive powers, but makes no mention of Assad's future.
Damascus insists Assad's departure is not up for discussion, but the opposition and its backers say he can have no role in Syria's future after a bloody four-year civil war.
"What is there to be negotiated with Assad?" Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told state-run Anatolia news agency.
"You are going to have what negotiations with a regime that has killed over 200,000 people and has used chemical weapons?"
France said the goal remained a negotiated political settlement and unity government in Syria that excludes Assad.
"Any other solution which would keep Mr. Assad in the saddle would be an absolutely scandalous, gigantic gift to Daesh," French Foreign Minister Fabius said, using another name for the extremist Islamic State group under attack by a US-led coalition.
Kerry's comments come after CIA head John Brennan warned that Washington feared an Islamist takeover if Syria's government collapsed.
Syrian media described the remarks as evidence of the "failure" of Washington's policy on the country.
"Facing a fait accompli, the American administration has backed down and recognised the need to reposition its policy on the Syria crisis," wrote Al-Watan, which is close to the government.
- 'Recognising Assad's legitimacy' -
"This is a new recognition of President Assad's legitimacy, his key role and his popularity, and the resulting necessity of negotiating with him," the daily said.
Al-Watan suggested Kerry's comments could pave the way for American participation in talks on the conflict hosted by Russia next month.
Moscow, a key Assad ally, is seeking to sponsor its own peace initiative, but there has been no indication of whether the US-backed Syrian opposition will attend the April 6 talks.
Kerry's comments also drew consternation from some in the Syrian opposition.
Samir Nashar, a member of the US-backed National Coalition, said the remarks had "blurred the American position".
"America used to say that Assad had to step down... But now, Kerry has adopted this ambiguity that keeps Assad afloat in any political solution," he told AFP.
Nashar said the remarks "are an intentional test to see the reactions of Syrians and of countries that support the Syrian revolution."
Kerry's comments sparked an online campaign on Twitter opposing negotiations with Assad, using the hashtag #KerryNoNegoWithKiller.
"Mr. Kerry, if you want dialogue with the killer, you are a murderer's example," said Twitter user Adnan al-Zahrani.
But on the ground, activists said Kerry's remarks were unsurprising.
"From the beginning, the Americans abandoned the revolution, and they prove it more each day," said Abu Adel, an activist in the rebel Jubar area outside Damascus.
"We cannot accept Assad staying on after the deaths of tens of thousands of martyrs."
Source: AFP