Remarks at a Press Gaggle Following UN Security Council Consultations on Syria

Susan E. Rice
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations 
U.S. Mission to the United Nations 

New York, NY

January 29, 2013

AS DELIVERED

Ambassador Rice: Special Envoy Brahimi gave a very frank and grim assessment of the situation, both inside Syria and for the region. And there is—you know—the same issues that have stymied the Council to date remain unresolved, so there is no obvious way forward.

Reporter: Is there any discussion about ways to break the logjam?

Ambassador Rice: Discussion, yeah, but no answers.

Reporter: Was he intimating that he wants to stay on or not?

Ambassador Rice: Well, I think many Council members, including the United States, expressed strong support for his efforts and the hope that he would continue. He was very frank in saying that, you know, that he’ll continue as long as he thinks there’s progress to be made.

Reporter: Is there a next step?

Ambassador Rice: I think our discussions will continue. We’ll continue in different formats, including at the P5 with Brahimi. But, I don’t have any promises of any big breakthroughs.

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