“We do not believe that Syria merits readmission to the Arab League at this time,” Patel said during a press briefing.
The US will not normalize relations with the Assad government absent “authentic progress” towards a solution to the conflict in the country, Patel said.
The US stresses to regional partners engaged with the Syrian government that their engagement should focus on improving humanitarian conditions in the country, Patel said.
Earlier this week, Syrian President Bashar Assad met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Damascus to discuss ways to resolve the conflict in Syria and achieve normalization of relations between Syria and the Arab world.
Last week, foreign ministers from six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, met in Jeddah to discuss the possible return of Syria to the Arab League after its membership was suspended in 2011 due to the outbreak of civil war in the country.