State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki conceded the situation in Syria remains "dire" Tuesday in the State Department press conference.
Reporters Jo Biddle and Matt Lee pressed Psaki on whether the State Department was diminishing the severity of the Syrian situation by issuing rhetorical condemnations and selectively emphasizing the supposed progress made in arranging a still yet to occur diplomatic conference that would negotiate Assad's departure.
Psaki replied advancements concerning Assad being reportedly open to turning over his chemical weapons to the international community reflect a positive development.
Sidestepping Biddle's main critique that the humanitarian crisis on the ground has deepened, the State Department spokeswoman said although there has not been a binding resolution from the U.N. addressing the situation on the ground, the State Department is working to "raise the issue."
When pressed again by the Matt Lee, Psaki finally admitted that despite the efforts of the U.S. State Department the circumstances on the ground in Syria have in fact deteriorated:
JO BIDDLE: Just a second. (Inaudible) -- I don't think that's what they were taking issue with. I don't think they're taking issue with the United States has actually done an awful lot to try and help the humanitarian situation on the ground. I think what they were taking issue with is there's no action going on to back up those -- that fact, that humanitarian help, plus Secretary Kerry's insistence that there has to be some kind of -- that there can't be a military solution, there has to be a political solution.
That goes back to what I was saying earlier, that despite all the words and despite all the work you've been doing behind the scenes, three -- 31 months on, we've got 150,000 people who are dead in Syria, millions of refugees, things like polio happening, and there is nothing happening from the United States that is pushing towards any kind of solution, or seems to be pushing towards any solution. Perhaps it's all happening behind the scenes and we don't know about it, but the reality is Assad is still in power, even though his days were supposed to be numbered two years ago, and there is no movement for any kind of negotiations on the ground -- (inaudible) --
JEN PSAKI: I would dispute completely what you just said, because six weeks ago, no one thought that there would be -- we would be moving towards the elimination of chemical weapons.
We've seen steps that have been announced. We're still evaluating the report. Obviously, more work needs to be done. But we're far -- much farther than we thought we could be.
Six weeks ago we never thought we would be moving towards a Geneva conference. We're still targeting for November. Brahimi is traveling around the region meeting with people, meeting with countries who have a stake in that effort. Yes, it's challenging. Yes, we're talking to the opposition. Yes, the Russians are working on the regime. But we are moving towards a conference.
And the third piece, on the humanitarian access, there was a statement which is not the same, no one is saying, as a binding resolution in the U.N. But there was a statement that was signed off on on humanitarian access, the need to raise the issue, following the OPCW UNSCR step. That's a small step forward. Raising this issue, continuing to provide aid, publicly pressing on the need to provide access is part of our effort to make progress. But yes, there's challenges on the ground, but that's why we're continuing to press on it.
MATT LEE: But Jen, the problems is that you can't -- what Jo said in the run-up to her question is not -- you can't dispute that. Those are all facts. You can dispute what may be the premise of the question that somehow all of this is the fault of the United States --
PSAKI: I'm disputing that we're not making progress --
LEE: -- or the fault of the United States for not acting.
PSAKI: We're not making progress on the different category.
LEE: But it is a fact that the situation on the ground has gotten worse, not better. Is that not correct? Whether or not it's your fault -- and I -- it may very well be unfair to blame everything that goes wrong in the world on the United States, but the basic fact, the premise -- the basic facts behind the question -- I'm not sure that you can dispute them.
MS. PSAKI: Well, we're combining a lot of things here. One was an editorial in a newspaper that we spoke to. Two was progress we're making towards all of these goals, which I just laid out.
Yes, our -- is the situation on the ground dire on -- and on -- in terms of humanitarian access and issues? Absolutely. That's why we're talking about it. So I wouldn't dispute that, but I'm just laying out the steps we're attempting to take.
LEE: But the situation on the ground remains dire because there is no progress in ending the war.
PSAKI: And we're working towards making progress by working towards a Geneva conference, by eliminating chemicals weapons, taking steps on that front, by raising the issue of humanitarian access and putting public pressure on. Those are the steps we're taking.