US says Assad removal no longer priority in Syria.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the US is changing course on Syria, and that the removal of Syrian President Bashar Assad is no longer a priority. Haley said she wants to work with countries such as Turkey and Russia to find a long-term political solution in Syria, rather than keep the focus on the Syrian president’s future. Just prior to Haley’s comments, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held a joint press conference in Turkey with his counterpart there, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and signaled the change in direction for US diplomacy. Tillerson said “Assad’s long-term presence must be decided by the Syrian people”.