US ‘ready to help bring’ Syria conflict to end — Haley

UNITED NATIONS, United States: The United States is ready to work towards a diplomatic solution to end the six-year war in Syria, Washington’s UN envoy Nikki Haley said Wednesday.

“We are ready to throw our weight and resources behind diplomacy. We are ready to help bring this conflict to an end,” Haley told the UN Security Council.

The US ambassador however added that a US commitment to the peace process was “not enough” and that Washington needed “partners who are serious about using their influence” over Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

She spoke as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was at the Kremlin for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin following US missile strikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack.

Haley’s statement was the first clear indication that the new US administration was taking diplomatic efforts seriously to end the war after repeatedly stating that fighting the Islamic State was its priority in Syria.

“The United States firmly believes that a political process can work, despite the odds,” said Haley.

The US envoy took aim at Russia, saying it must “stop covering for Assad” and accused Iran of “dumping fuel on the flames of this war in Syria so that it can expand its own reach.”

Russia and Iran are providing military support for Assad.

“The road to peace is long. We won’t get a political solution overnight. But we can start by working together to actually deescalate the conflict,” she said. — AFP