President Assad told Belgian media that statements made by Trump are promising regarding the priority of fighting terrorists, and mainly ISIS. Below is the full text as appeared on SANA:
In Saudi-owned Al-Hayat, Ibrahim Hamidi breaks down the current struggle for representation at the upcoming negotiations as well as the tug of war around prioritizing the political and military tracks
In the lead-up to the Syria talks in Geneva, attendees should prepare for the US president to shift focus from the political process to the issue of establishing safe zones, Ali Dahi writes in loyalist Al-Watan
Kurdish website ARA News speaks to sources who claim ISIS intends to open the Euphrates dam while the group relocates from its de facto capital in Raqqa to the province of Deir-ez-Zor
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
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
Alsouria Net speaks to insider at recent meetings between Turkish representatives and the Syrian armed opposition, in which most major rebel groups — except Ahrar al-Sham — agreed to attend the negotiations with the Assad regime in Astana next week
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
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
Foreign ministry says Washington’s decision to lift an embargo on arms exports to terrorist groups in Syria is aimed at prolonging the crisis
Douma native Akram Abou al-Fawz uses unexploded remnants in his artwork to show the world that Syrians are not only terrorists, but have a culture with deep roots
Trump symbolically and practically has given a green light to finish off Aleppo city, and he has become, along with Obama, partners with Putin in the most horrific stage the city has endured in its long history, writes Abdel Wahab Bedarkhan
If Trump’s framework – partnerships and not hostility – finds a path to be implemented, then his policy in the Syrian issue will be better than that of his predecessor Obama, who gave up his role and delivered the issue to Russia, writes Fayez Sara
Despite the president-elect’s promises to withdraw American power from the region and revert to a more isolationist strategy, history shows us that major changes in US foreign policy rarely occur with the rotation of presidential administrations, writes Eyyad al-Jaafari
Trump will not support the armed opposition and will not support intervention in Syria, loyalists say, but he will strongly support fighting terrorists
Tensions boil as regional players in the Syrian crisis voice discontent at the choice of the international coalition to back the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to liberate Raqqa from ISIS
Russian PM says high-level Israeli officials expressed their desire for someone who can control the situation on the ground in Syria
Top general confirms Russian and Syrian forces have offered to open corridors out of the besieged city for civilians and militants to leave
