Syrian elections not 'credible or fair': US

By Esra Kaymak Avci

WASHINGTON

Syrian parliamentary elections as not "credible or fair" while President Bashar Assad is still in power, a U.S. State Department spokesman said Thursday.

Speaking during a press conference, John Kirby said one could not call the elections free, where people are under continued attacks by their own government.

"And quite frankly, so many millions of Syrians [are] not even there," he said.

"Not even participating in this election because they've had to flee their country, flee their homes, flee their communities."

Kirby suggested to move forward with the Geneva peace talks which seeks to find a political solution for the war torn country.

"We want to see the regime and the opposition continue to have a dialogue about an appropriate transition process as we work through towards getting a new Constitution," he said.

Only after having achieved that through the Geneva talks under the U.N. auspices, fair and free elections can be held in Syria, which will include the Syrian diaspora as voters as well, according to Kirby.

The Geneva talks seeks to bring together the Syrian government and opposition to find a road map for Syria's political transition. Kirby's comments come one day after parliamentary elections were held in only government-held areas in Syria.

The polls were the second since the civil war broke out in 2011. Asked about recent airstrikes conducted in and around Aleppo by the Russian backed-Assad government, Kirby said they were violations of a cessation of hostilities agreement signed in February between the U.S. and Russia, the co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG),working for a cease-fire in Syria.

However, Assad forces have been accused of violating the deal several times since it was signed. Kirby said the Syrian regime, in addition to violating the truce, has continued to kill opposition groups or civilians.

"To the degree that opposition or civilians are being targeted, we're going to monitor that, we're going to track that, and we're going to raise that case," he added.

However, he did not provide any information what, if any, consequences will be for Assad for violating the deal.