The US has said that there is "no military solution" to the current Syrian crisis, but it is considering renewed options to resolve the conflict.
"It is still our view, absolutely, that there is not a military solution to this conflict and that a negotiated political settlement is the only path forward for Syria, and the Geneva process is the process by which that is persuadable and achievable at this time," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at his daily news conference.
"It is important that the two sides sat down across from each other, but the international community needs to focus on how we can move this process forward," he said when asked about the breakdown of the talks between the ruling Assad regime and the opposition coalition in Geneva.
"We, as a rule, are always looking at all of our options and reviewing old options and new options when it comes to a situation like we find in Syria. It should not be forgotten that the obstacle to progress here has been the regime. The opposition attended the Geneva talks and conducted themselves appropriately.
"The regime, however, has made clear that it's throwing up obstacles to moving forward and making progress," he said.
Noting that there's not a new review of policy underway, Carney said the fact of the matter is that the situation in Syria is horrendous.
He said the only resolution to conflict was through negotiation and the US would continue to work with international partners to try to push the process forward.
"We absolutely recognise that the situation on the ground is terrible and that the Syrian people are still under constant assault from the Assad regime. We provide significant assistance to the opposition, including to the military opposition," he said.
Carney also said the US was enormously frustrated by the obstructionism that the Syrian regime participates in, the unhelpful approach that Russia has adopted on the Security Council when it comes to the resolution regarding humanitarian aid access.
"What remains the case is that we are looking for ways to advance a policy that is in the national interest security interest of the United States and that helps Syria progress towards a negotiated political settlement," the official said.
The US policy and position is that Syria's future cannot include Bashar al-Assad because their people have so clearly shown that he cannot be a part of future or transitional government there, he said.
