Readout of Vice President Biden's Meetings with United Nations and Arab League Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi and Syrian Opposition Coalition President Moaz al-Khatib

Vice President Biden met with United Nations and Arab League Joint Special Representative (JSR) Lakhdar Brahimi today in Munich, Germany, on the margins of the Munich Security Conference. The Vice President thanked Brahimi for his steadfast work to bring resolution to the ongoing crisis in Syria and pledged that the United States would continue to support his efforts. The Vice President and JSR Brahimi discussed the dire humanitarian situation inside Syria and the regional implications of the Syria crisis. Vice President Biden also met separately with Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) President Moaz al-Khatib on the margins of the Munich Security Conference. The Vice President praised al-Khatib’s personal courage and leadership of the SOC, the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The Vice President urged al-Khatib to continue his efforts to maintain unity among the SOC leadership, to isolate extremist elements within the broader opposition, and to reach out to, and be inclusive of, a broad range of communities inside Syria, including Alawites, Christians and Kurds. The Vice President reaffirmed the U.S. call for an end to the Assad regime and a transition that leads to a peaceful, inclusive and democratic Syria, where the rights of all Syrians are protected. The Vice President commended al-Khatib’s recent statements, including in Munich, expressing openness, under certain circumstances, to the possibility of negotiations to bring the Syrian people the leadership they deserve.