Saudi-owned Al-Hayat details the recommendations inside the separate Kurdish and Russian draft constitutions, which call for greater autonomy for Kurds and a more decentralized government, while also acknowledging the multi-ethnic make-up of Syria’s demography
Rebel representative denies opposition delegates agreed to consider Russia’s draft constitution, saying that three issues will determine whether the opposition will continue its participation in political process — these include consolidating the ceasefire, bringing in humanitarian aid and releasing prisoners, Alsouria Net writes
Government news agency SANA publishes transcript of Syrian president’s interview with Japanese journalist regarding the state of the current ceasefire, this week’s peace talks in Kazakhstan, and what is likely to come from a Trump presidency
Loyalist Al-Watan newspaper writes that Erdogan’s mounting domestic and international problems will force the Turkish president to accept that the only way to restore his regional standing will be through rapprochement with Assad
Writing for All4Syria, Walid Bunni urges opposition factions attending the upcoming talks in Astana to resist foreign pressure for short-term gains
Opposition members reportedly met with Trump’s Middle East adviser in November in an effort to secure support for a post-Assad transition
Deputy head of the Syrian Interim Government expresses hope that a Trump presidency will contribute to Turkey’s efforts to ensure a successful ceasefire in Syria
Obama’s two terms and the lie of the bloody Arab Spring made us feel that George W. Bush was a dove of peace. Bush did not, in practice, destroy anywhere but Iraq, given that Afghanistan was already destroyed, whereas Obama went ceaselessly from Syria to Libya and Yemen.
Walid Bunni asks whether the US president-elect will continue the Obama administration’s stance in denying the goals and freedoms of the region’s people for the past eight years
What Moscow is trying to achieve with the political settlement depends to a large extent on the Turkish and Iranian positions, and on the possibility of reaching clear agreements between these actors amid independent efforts to direct their battles in ways which achieve only their interests
Russia’s acknowledgment of the armed opposition is one of the requirements of profiting politically from the victory in Aleppo. This means that transforming the military victory into a political settlement requires recognizing the enemy before sitting with him and agreeing to a solution to the conflict.
Is it really possible for Russia, Turkey and Iran to achieve a lasting solution which enables Syrians to choose their political system in a secular and democratic state, as stated by the three countries following meetings in Moscow?
Unannounced negotiations are being held between American and Russian representatives to draft constitutional and political principles for a solution built on the principle of “political quotas” close to “the moderate Lebanese model”
The unpredictability of Russia’s Syria policy troubles both its allies and enemies who worry the Kremlin may be selling empty promises ahead of upcoming peace talks in Geneva
The gamble made by Damascus and its allies is that the US will be in a hurry to make any achievement in the Syrian crisis, and will accept the idea of Assad’s nomination in the coming elections due to domestic reasons related to their own upcoming election season
Monitor says US forces overseeing the widening of airport runway as helicopters begin operations from the facility
Does sharing Syria in its current state mean dividing it among its occupying powers? The facts say that the forces which control Syria today will not be able to coexist within this division, Walid Bunni argues
President Bashar al-Assad has accused the US of sponsoring terrorist groups in Syria by labeling them ‘moderate opposition’. In an interview with the Russian TV channels, Russia 24 and NTV, the Syrian president said the United States tried to promote the idea of so-called moderate opposition in Syria.
Following is the full text of the interview:
The Syrian Observer republishes Qantara’s 2015 profile on the Syrian critical philosopher and political activist on the sad occasion of his passing
Foreign ministry says Washington’s decision to lift an embargo on arms exports to terrorist groups in Syria is aimed at prolonging the crisis
