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Saturday 18 auguSt 2018

U.S. ends Syria stabilization funding, cites more allied cash

By MATTHEW LEE bleshooter, James Jeffrey,
AP Diplomatic Writer to be a special envoy for
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Syria, Nauert said.
Trump administration is Jeffrey, a former U.S. am-
ending funding for Syria bassador to Turkey, Iraq
stabilization projects as it and Albania who also
moves to extricate the U.S. served as a deputy na-
from the conflict, citing in- tional security adviser to
creased contributions from President George W. Bush,
anti-Islamic State coalition will hold the title of “spe-
partners. cial representative for Syr-
The State Department said ian engagement.” Jeffrey,
it had notified Congress who retired in 2012, also
on Friday that it would not holds the highest rank in the
spend some $230 million U.S. Foreign Service: career
that had been planned for ambassador. He will lead
Syria programs and would U.S. efforts to reinvigorate
instead shift that money to a long-stalled peace effort
other areas. Most of that known as the “Geneva Pro-
money, initially pledged by cess” between Assad, the
former Secretary of State opposition and other coun-
Rex Tillerson in February, tries with equities in Syria,
had been on hold and un- Nauert said.
der review since he was Yet Friday’s funding cut is
fired in March. A small frac- In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, a woman walks past the remnants of destroyed the latest Trump administra-
tion of that amount was re- buildings in the city of Aleppo, Syria. tion financial retreat from
leased in June. Associated Press Syria. In May, the State De-
State Department spokes- a statement. Nauert said Islamic State has been de- tions to stabilization efforts partment announced that
woman Heather Nauert Pompeo’s decision took feated. in the most vulnerable Syr- it had ended all funding
said the cut, which was into account the White “This decision does not rep- ian communities recently for stabilization programs
authorized by Secretary House’s desire to increase resent any lessening of U.S. liberated from the terrors in Syria’s northwest. IS mili-
of State Mike Pompeo burden sharing with allies. commitment to our strate- of ISIS, this message of U.S. tants have been almost en-
and does not include hu- The funds will be redirected gic goals in Syria,” Nauert retreat and abandonment tirely eliminated from that
manitarian aid funds, will “to support other key for- said. is an embarrassment,” he region, which is controlled
be more than offset by eign policy priorities,” said Still, the move was seen as said. Democrats on the by a hodgepodge of other
an additional $300 mil- Nauert, who along with a sign the administration is House Foreign Affairs Com- extremist groups and gov-
lion pledged by coalition other officials rejected sug- heeding Trump’s demand mittee concurred, calling ernment forces.
partners, including $100 gestions that the elimina- to end U.S. involvement in the move “astonishingly In June, the administration
million that Saudi Arabia tion of the funds showed Syria and reduce its com- shortsighted.” In a tweet, freed up a small portion —
announced it had contrib- diminishing U.S. interest in mitment there. they said it was an indica- $6.6 million — of the $200
uted late Thursday. Syria. Sen. Robert Menendez of tion of a “lack of US lead- million that Tillerson had
“As a result of key partner Nauert, along with David New Jersey, the top Dem- ership” that is “undercut- pledged in order to con-
contributions by coalition Satterfield, the acting as- ocrat on the Senate For- ting US interests in Syria and tinue funding for the White
members, Secretary Pom- sistant secretary of state for eign Relations Committee, around the world.” Helmets, a Syrian civil de-
peo has authorized the the Middle East, and Brett denounced what he said In a bid to reassure its part- fense organization, and the
Department of State to re- McGurk, the special envoy amounted to Trump “sprint- ners in the coalition against International, Impartial and
direct approximately $230 for the anti-IS coalition, told ing down the path of ab- IS as well as opponents Independent Mechanism,
million in stabilization funds reporters on a conference dicating American leader- of Syrian President Bashar a U.N. agency that is investi-
for Syria which have been call that the U.S. would re- ship on the global stage.” Assad, Pompeo appointed gating war crimes commit-
under review,” she said in main active in Syria until the “By ending U.S. contribu- veteran diplomatic trou- ted during the conflict.q

U.S. to send hospital ship to Colombia amid refugee crisis

WASHINGTON (AP) — The to Washington after a six- an exodus that has set off principle, they gave details clude Venezuela. The Com-
Pentagon is preparing to day tour of South America. alarms across Latin Ameri- on how we might best craft fort has 12 fully-equipped
dispatch a hospital ship to Mattis would not say when ca. the cruise through the re- operating rooms, a 1,000-
Colombia and possibly oth- the USNS Comfort would The United Nations said gion,” Mattis said. bed hospital facility, digi-
er parts of South America to arrive off the coast of Co- earlier this week that an Some details of the plan for tal radiological services,
help relieve strain on health lombia, but it apparently estimated 2.3 million Ven- dispatching the Comfort a medical laboratory, a
care systems overloaded will not be in the next few ezuelans have fled the cri- from Norfolk, Virginia, have pharmacy, an optometry
by an influx of hundreds of weeks. Dana W. White, the sis-torn country as of June, not yet been worked out, lab, a CAT scan and two
thousands of Venezuelans chief Pentagon spokes- mainly to Colombia, Ecua- Mattis said. The ship may oxygen-producing plants.
who have fled that crisis- woman, said it would be dor, Peru and Brazil. visit other South American The ship also is equipped
racked nation, Defense “in the fall,” but she would Mattis said Colombian countries also feeling ef- with a helicopter deck
Secretary Jim Mattis said not be more specific. President Ivan Duque em- fects of the refugee prob- capable of landing large
Friday. As a result of a dire eco- braced the Comfort pro- lem. military helicopters. It has a
“It is absolutely a humani- nomic and health care posal during talks Friday “We are going to go where side port that enables the
tarian mission,” he told re- situation, rising numbers of morning in Bogota. the need is greatest,” he crew to take on patients at
porters returning with him Venezuelans are joining “They not only agreed in said, but that will not in- sea.q