USA: U.S. suspends Syrian embassy operations, orders diplomats out

Record ID: 276601

  • Title: USA: U.S. suspends Syrian embassy operations, orders diplomats out
  • Date: 18th March 2014
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MARCH 18, 2014) (REUTERS) SYRIAN EMBASSY CLOSE-UP WINDOW WITH SYRIAN FLAG MAN WALKING FROM DIPLOMATIC VEHICLE INTO SYRIAN EMBASSY / GATE CLOSING SYRIAN FLAG ZOOM IN OF SIGN READING: "EMBASSY OF THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC" CLOSE-UP OF SECURITY CAMERA WITH ICICLE WOMEN ENTERING THROUGH GATE TO SYRIAN EMBASSY PARKING SIGN READING "DIPLOMATIC
  • Embargoed: 2nd April 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA88DEYWQA19ON40G6W1Y09H117
  • Story Text: The United States on Tuesday (March 18) suspended operations of the Syrian Embassy in Washington and two other consulates telling diplomats and staff who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents to leave the country.
    The U.S. says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had refused to step down and was responsible for atrocities against Syrians.
    "We just felt that the idea that this embassy is sitting here with representation, that we could take seriously, is an insult. And we closed it. It's that simple. And we'll see what happens in other places, but the Assad regime can never regain legitimacy in Syria. Whether they win, don't win, they can't regain legitimacy," said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
    The announcement comes as the Syrian conflict enters its fourth year, with an estimated 150,000 people killed by the war and little sign that initiatives to ease the crisis are working.
    Canadian citizen Shesh Wallace went to the embassy in Washington, D.C. to apply for a visa to visit Syria, before it closed. "I've traveled to 194 countries and I have four left, and Syria is one of them. For obvious reasons I waited for the last moment to get this, and a two o'clock is when they close," Wallace said.
    Efforts by the United States and Russia to broker a peace settlement now appear to have faded further amid worsening tensions between Moscow and Washington over Ukraine.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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