The progress in military de-escalation in Syria has failed to facilitate political progress
The Syrian National Congress was held in Sochi on January 30 and reportedly gathered close to 1,500 Syrians to kick-start the national dialogue by giving platform to the broader Syrian community. The Congress, it seems, had an ambition to become an umbrella platform that would bring together Syrians who participate in existing negotiating tracks, such as Geneva and Astana, as well give agency to those who...
Russian FM Sergey Lavrov gave an interview to Interfax News Agency
Question:
A year ago the Americans would not allow our diplomats to visit polling stations. At that time Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that we will respond in kind. Have we told the Americans that their diplomats won’t have the right to visit our polling stations?
Sergey Lavrov:
I don’t think we should send any notifications. For the time being we haven’t heard any names or appeals from countries and organisations...
The initiative to hold the Congress of the Syrian people in Sochi is not a dig against the Geneva process, but rather an attempt to strengthen Russia's position in the future dialogue with Europe within the framework of the Geneva process
The fire team is currently working more harmoniously, faster and more successfully than the engineering and construction committee. The practical results of the Astana talks — reducing the level of armed violence in Syria — are visible to any impartial observer...
In a surprising move on Monday Vladimir Putin decided to start withdrawing military forces from Syria. The abrupt manner in which the decision was made is very characteristic of the Russian leader and how he has been handling the Syrian crisis. It has been almost 6 months since Vladimir Putin ordered to launch an aerial operation in the country despite initial assessments that it would only take three to four months.
“I consider the objectives that have been set for the Defence Ministry to...
After a week of confusion and failed attempts to bring warring sides to the table, Syria peace talks that had begun in Geneva on January 25 2016 were suspended till late February on Thursday. This may be a much-needed break that may help prevent the wider negotiating process from being derailed. In other words the battle is lost but the war is not over.
While the Syrian government arrived in Geneva in time for talks and held several meetings with Steffan De Mistura, the Higher Negotiating Committee...
Russia has no illusions or high hopes ahead of talks between Iran and the P 5 + 1, five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said upon arrival to Vienna on Tuesday.
"Let’s see what we’ll on hand after these negotiations but, honestly, everything is complicated now, since as you know the U.S. has recently expanded the list of sanctions against Iran, which does not help start negotiations by any means," he said...
... attached to Egypt. The experiment was a failure, as the United Arab Republic headed by Gamal Abdel Nasser lasted just four years, as the Syrians found themselves the weaker partner, and resented the Egyptians’ dominance.
Photo: REUTERS/Gary Cameron
Geneva II: Place to Establish Official Contacts.
Interview with Dmitri Trenin
The fragility of the existing territorial and political disengagement in the Arab world is only corroborated by the fact that Damascus (like Baghdad before U.S. intervention) ...
Interview
In his interview with RIAC, Dmitry Trenin, Director of Carnegie Moscow Centre and RIAC member, offers his comments on the interim results of Geneva II and Russian-U.S. cooperation in assisting to resolve the conflict in Syria.
The main mission of the Geneva II Conference was to bring together the government forces and the opposition in Syria to negotiate the end of the civil war. What do you ...
Interview with Petr Stegniy
Interview
In the run-up to the Geneva-2 conference,
Petr V. Stegniy
, Russia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and a RIAC member, shares his views on the Syrian crisis and possible ways to resolve it.
Mr. Ambassador, is there any room for compromise among world powers on the Syrian crisis and its resolution at Geneva-2?
Geneva-2 seems to suit the leading world powers, the Syrian regime and the internal opposition that participates in the Syrian government...
