Lavrov, Kerry Discuss Expansion of ‘Cessation of Hostilities’ in Syria
SANA (state news agency)
September 5, 2016
Top diplomats meet on sidelines of G20 summit in Chinese city of Hangzhou
Top diplomats meet on sidelines of G20 summit in Chinese city of Hangzhou
Lavrov stresses importance of differentiating between “opposition groups supported by the United States and the terrorists whom the opposition use as a shield,” during phone call with Kerry
Until recently, Damascus saw the Kurds as an ally able to help pressure a wide geographical area that needed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and at the same time would constitute a thorn in the Turkish throat, which was greedy to swallow Syrian geography and people at the same time.
Following the recent Turkey-Iran-Russia strategic alliance, Assad sought to find a role to play in the Kurdish file, choosing to strike Hassakeh in order to be at the center of the Kurdish issue
Today, the governments of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria act based on a conviction they are reluctant to proclaim publicly, which is that the Kurds are more dangerous than ISIS
For the consecutive third day, Russian warplanes launch attacks from Iran to strike Syria, and targets “overlap” with America
Moscow is convinced that Syria’s opposition should distance itself from ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra
According to leaders in the Islamist and moderate groups, Western diplomats, and officials and civilian activists in Aleppo, 10 reasons can be noted for the “Aleppo coup”
The regime had been pursuing a political-military plan based around extending its control over Aleppo and waiting for American-Russian pressure to hold a round of negotiations in which the regime would be the victorious party
It is possible to expect Clinton’s policy to be built on a review of the views of five women from among those expected to play a major role in her administration
Russia and Iran’s militias launched a heavy assault on Aleppo last month, allowing Iranian forces and allied Iraqi and Lebanese sectarian militias, as well as what remains of the Syrian army still loyal to Assad, to impose a siege on eastern Aleppo
Russian deputy FM tells press that there are no plans for a major offensive in Aleppo city after US warns of escalation
What Kerry says and what the Europeans think is not important
Three events passed with unusually little interest from Syrians, which suggests that it is up to Syrians, who are the true stakeholders in preserving the unity of their country and the dignity of their people, to think of other ways to end their tragedy
Sources claim Syrian president traveled to Russian capital last month to discuss terms of a settlement between regional and international powers
Syrians see the affiliation of Nusra with Al-Qaeda as a reason for dragging woe upon the Syrian revolution and the areas in which Nusra is present
It is expected that Russia will redouble its efforts politically and militarily until the end of this year to create a situation in Syria that allows them to achieve most of their aims from the intervention
Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria responds to story in US newspaper accusing the Front of “plotting external operations against Europe and the US” as the two world powers gear up for strikes against the group
According to a seven-page draft agreement, Moscow and Washington are considering high-level coordination beyond “carrying out air defense” in Syria’s skies, to reach a level of “direct cooperation” between the two armies and their intelligence agencies against Nusra Front and ISIS
Opposition’s negotiating committee urges US and Russia to conduct a thorough review of their operation to fight terrorism in Syria
