Khaled Yacoub Oweis, a visiting fellow at SWP, the German international affairs think tank, argues that the objective of international envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura should be the protection of civilians and not the creation of freeze zones, which, short of a balance of interests on the ground, will become killing fields
Details of future meetings between opposition and regional powers revealed by Coordination Commission chair
Fear of safety leads European leaders to recognize the inconvenience of their governments’ Syria stance
Syria welcomes UN Security Council resolution cracking down on the financing of terrorist groups
Assad talks about the devastating civil war, the use of barrel bombs, the battle against ISIS and Al-Qaeda and relations with the US
Deputy PM claims Syria prioritizes cutting off sources of terrorism while supporting Syrian-Syrian dialogue in press conference with Belarusian Foreign Minister
Syrian National Coalition president says opposition is fighting Iran, not Assad
The clinching argument for the cynical pirouette is that a deal with Russia might give some of Assad’s opponents a share of power in Damascus
What is needed now in Syria is a semi-miracle to end corruption and fragmentation, whilst pushing for an internationally-backed political solution
Guigou says France should support Russian and UN efforts to reach an interim agreement while working on a solution with parties willing to accept a democratic change
Halki stresses the country requires everyone’s national and humanitarian involvement to strengthen the country against future challenges
Lavrov says positive reactions came not only from those who participated in the meeting, but also from opposition figures who did not attend
NCC Member confirms participants of the Coordination Commission did not ‘refuse or accept’ Moscow principles
Refusal comes after content within the draft is said to contradict earlier plans suggested by the UN envoy
Israel’s Channel 10 has quoted an Israeli source admitting Israel’s responsibility for the January 18 attack on a Hezbollah convoy in Quneitra in Syria’s Golan
Consultative meetings in Moscow end, Syrian government delegation agrees to “Moscow Principles”
Third round of consultative meeting held in Moscow, Syrian government pays tribute to martyrs and victims of terrorism
Opposition representatives in Moscow stress on need to find common ground
Syria demands action against perpetrators and backers of terrorist acts, both regionally and internationally
Forum program offers insight into conference priorities amid further rumours of opposition infighting
