Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas said Tuesday that establishing ties with President Bashar al-Assad would “legitimize cruelty” in Syria, joining other lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, in expressing concern about a trend among some Arab states which have increased diplomatic contacts with Syria. 

“I echo those expressing concerns with nations that have taken steps to renew formal diplomatic ties with Syria and Bashar al-Assad. This will only legitimize his ongoing cruelty and human rights violations,” Gonzalez said in a statement. "International condemnation is the only response.”

Gonzalez’ remarks follow similar ones expressed by Republicans Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho and Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas earlier this month. Risch and McCaul are the ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations and the House Foreign Affairs committees, respectively. 

Neither Gonzalez nor his Republican colleagues mentioned any countries by name in reference to establishing ties with Assad, but they are likely referring to Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. All those countries are US partners that have been increased diplomatic contacts with Assad's governments in recent months. The UAE and Egypt have been calling for Syria’s readmission to the Arab League. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met Syrian diplomats during the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month. Jordan’s King Abdullah II had his first phone call in a decade with Assad this October.