MOSCOW, May 22 (RAPSI, Ingrid Burke) – The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved by a vote of 15 to three Tuesday the Syria Transition Support Act, a bill that would authorize the US government to provide lethal assistance and training to Syrian rebel forces, impose sanctions for the sale of weapons and petroleum to President Bashar al Assad’s regime, deliver humanitarian resources, and plan for a “Post-Assad Syria.”

The US bill features six key components.

First, it would vest the US with authority to provide arms, training, and non-lethal supplies to certain vetted Syrian rebel groups. The bill stipulates that in order to qualify, such groups must meet certain standards in terms of human rights, terrorism, and non-proliferation.

Second, it would allocate $250 million worth of funds annually through the 2015 fiscal year toward supporting in a political transition.

Third, it would impose sanctions “with respect to any person that the President determines has, on or after [the bill’s enactment], knowingly participated in or facilitated a significant transaction related to the sale, transfer, or transportation of defense articles, defense services, or military training to the Assad regime of Syria or any successor regime in Syria that the President determines is not a legitimate transitional or replacement government.” A similarly worded provision would impose sanctions for the sale or transfer of petroleum and petroleum products as well.

Fourth, it would protect against interference in terms of providing humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict, although it would not authorize additional funding toward that end.

Fifth, it would require the ruling administration to keep Congress up to date on its efforts to work with Russia and the international community toward settling on a political solution to the crisis.

Sixth, it would provide for the stripping away of certain sanctions in the crisis’ aftermath.

The bill’s stated purposes largely center on the premise of the imperative of a post-Assad transition. Among other purposes are: “to use a broad array of instruments of national power to expedite a negotiated solution to the conflict in Syria, including the departure of Bashar al-Assad” and “to engage with opposition groups that reflect United States interests and values.”

Notably, the bill seeks specifically to address the stalemate that has persevered between the US and Russia with regard to the international community’s role in the Syria conflict by seeking to appease the interests of both countries in halting the expansion of extremist ideologies in Syria and surrounding areas.

Russia has repeatedly voiced its concern through the course of the ongoing conflict that the Syrians, not the international community, should choose their own fate. Summarizing the results of negotiations with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated this point, stating: “We are convinced (and we have complete concordance with the Secretary General here) that the climax for the Syrian crisis may be found only through establishment of all-Syria dialog with participation of all Syrian forces without any external interference as soon as possible. We are interested that [the Syrian Arab Republic] preserves its territorial integrity and remains a sovereign state.”

According to the bill’s text, within 60 days of its enactment, the Secretary of State would be required to submit an unclassified report detailing an integrated US government strategy to achieve the bill’s purposes. This strategy would be explicitly required to describe programs and efforts “to work with the Government of Russia on the situation in Syria and the transition and post- transition period and government in Syria, including how such programs can leverage the shared interests of the United States and Russia in avoiding the expansion of extremist ideologies and terrorist groups in Syria and the region.”

Still, the bill’s path to enactment will be long and subject to revisions and amendments.