Russia takes power-broking role as Syria peace talks to begin in Astana
Kazakhstan Offers Astana As Venue Of Syrian Peace Talks
Two days of discussions in Kazakhstan bring Syria’s rebels face to face with representatives of Bashar al-Assad’s government
Millions displaced and 500,000 dead – will new peace talks end Syria’s agony?
The Guardian, Jan. 22, 2017 - The latest attempt to end the six-year conflict has been organized by Russia and Turkey and begins in the Kazakh capital
The meetings, scheduled to last two days at a luxury hotel in Astana, Kazakhstan, will focus on how to extend the ceasefire negotiated in the wake of the opposition’s military defeat in Aleppo, Syria’s second city, at the hands of the Russian air force and Iranian-backed militias.
The talks are also sponsored by Turkey and Iran, but the US, the EU, Saudi Arabia and the UN are, for the moment, largely marginalized. Russia faces a new set of challenges as it attempts to move from participant in the conflict to peace broker.
Leaders of the Syrian opposition delegation, representing as many as 12 factions, claimed on the eve of the Astana talks that Moscow genuinely wanted to move to a neutral stance but was being held back by the Iranian and the Syrian governments.
Mohammed Alloush, the leader of the opposition delegation, said the failure of Moscow to put pressure on Iran and the Syrian government to end what the opposition says are widespread violations of the Turkish-Russian brokered ceasefire would be a blow to its influence in Syria.
The meetings, scheduled to last two days at a luxury hotel in Astana, Kazakhstan, will focus on how to extend the ceasefire negotiated in the wake of the opposition’s military defeat in Aleppo, Syria’s second city, at the hands of the Russian air force and Iranian-backed militias.
The talks are also sponsored by Turkey and Iran, but the US, the EU, Saudi Arabia and the UN are, for the moment, largely marginalized. Russia faces a new set of challenges as it attempts to move from participant in the conflict to peace broker.
Leaders of the Syrian opposition delegation, representing as many as 12 factions, claimed on the eve of the Astana talks that Moscow genuinely wanted to move to a neutral stance but was being held back by the Iranian and the Syrian governments.
Mohammed Alloush, the leader of the opposition delegation, said the failure of Moscow to put pressure on Iran and the Syrian government to end what the opposition says are widespread violations of the Turkish-Russian brokered ceasefire would be a blow to its influence in Syria.
Mohammed Alloush will lead the opposition delegation in the talks about Syria brokered by Russia
“It’s a real test of the power of Russia and its influence over the regime and Iran as a guarantor of the deal so, if it fails in this role, there will follow bigger failures,” Alloush said in the Kazakh capital. “Russia wants to move from a direct party in the fighting to a guarantor and neutral one and this point is being obstructed by the Syrian regime that wants it [the ceasefire] to fail and Iran that is fighting this with its sectarian militias in Syria.”
Opposition sources said they were willing to hold face-to-face or indirect talks over ceasefire violations and humanitarian access.
Russia believes its talks process can be more productive than previous efforts led by the UN, partly because the military balance has changed and partly because the talks are directly between the Syrian government and fighters, rather than with political leaders representing the opposition but often living outside Syria.
The Syrian opposition says the government and Iranian-backed militias are continuing military offensives in several areas in Syria, including in Wadi Barada near the capital, regardless of the ceasefire.
Some of the worst fighting in recent days has been between opposition groups in Idlib – one of the last rebel strongholds in Syria.
Opposition sources said they were willing to hold face-to-face or indirect talks over ceasefire violations and humanitarian access.
Russia believes its talks process can be more productive than previous efforts led by the UN, partly because the military balance has changed and partly because the talks are directly between the Syrian government and fighters, rather than with political leaders representing the opposition but often living outside Syria.
The Syrian opposition says the government and Iranian-backed militias are continuing military offensives in several areas in Syria, including in Wadi Barada near the capital, regardless of the ceasefire.
Some of the worst fighting in recent days has been between opposition groups in Idlib – one of the last rebel strongholds in Syria.
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