Kerry Says Syria Vote 'a Great Big Zero', Defends Cooperation with Palestinian Govt

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday dismissed a presidential election in war-ravaged Syria as "a great big zero" as he visited neighboring Lebanon.

Tuesday's "elections are non-elections, the elections are a great big zero," Kerry told reporters in Beirut after arriving on an unannounced visit.

Syrian President Bashar Assad is on course to claim a sweeping victory in an election held amid a raging civil war that Washington had called a "disgrace."

Official results are only expected to be announced later this week, but a landslide win for Assad over two little-known challengers has never been in doubt.

During the same press conference in Beirut, Kerry defended a U.S. decision to work with the new Palestinian unity government, despite Israeli criticism, emphasizing that it does not include any Hamas ministers.

The United States, like Israel and the European Union, consider Islamist group Hamas a "terrorist" organization.

Kerry said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "made clear that this new technocratic government is committed to the principles of non violence, negotiations, recognizing the state of Israel, acceptance of the previous agreements and the Quartet principles."

"Based on what we know now about the composition of this technocratic government, which has no minister affiliated to Hamas and is committed to the principles that I describe, we will work with it as we need to, as appropriate."

Kerry also said U.S. preparedness to work with the Palestinian government does not mean recognition of a Palestinian state.

"The U.S. does not recognize a government with respect to Palestine because that would recognize a state and there is no state," he said.

A new Palestinian cabinet was sworn in Monday, after a surprise reconciliation deal reached in April between Hamas and the PLO.

The United States, the EU, the U.N. and Russia have all accepted to work with the cabinet.

Despite the alliance with Hamas, which does not recognize Israel and is pledged to its destruction, Abbas has said the government would abide by the principles of the Middle East Quartet, which envisage the establishment of two states.

The U.S.' readiness to work with the new government has prompted fury from Israel, with Netanyahu branding it Tuesday as "a step against peace."

"I want to make it very clear we are going to be watching it (the government) very closely, as we have said from day one, to absolutely ensure that it upholds each of those things it has talked about, that it doesn’t cross the line," Kerry said.

A row over the new Palestinian government is driving yet another wedge into already shaky ties between Israel and the U.S. as the once sacrosanct relationship comes under severe strain.