Syrian peace talks being held in Astana have hit fresh hurdles with the country’s armed opposition suspending its participation over the continued bombardment of some areas by the regime forces. A spokesman for the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) said the delegation has suspended its participation after presenting a memorandum for a total commitment to stopping government air strikes. The move didn’t come as a surprise. Though a ceasefire is in force which is meant to pave the way for broader negotiations, Assad’s forces have been in the forefront of violating it, despite the fact that the government has a duty to keep the truce afloat despite some provocations from the opposition. It’s not clear how long the boycott by the opposition would continue, because an official from Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry said he expected the armed opposition to return to the talks today. However, SNC’s action sends a message to Damascus and its allies that they cannot expect the opposition to sit across the table and talk peace while continuing to attack their people on the ground.
The focus of the talks in Astana is on creating ‘de-escalation zones’ as suggested by Russia. The zones will be in the rebel-held territory in the northwestern province of Idlib, in parts of Homs province in the centre, in the south, and in the opposition enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus which aim at creating conditions for the safe and voluntary return of refugees. They will be manned and monitored by government troops and rebel fighters. It’s a good idea that will help reduce fighting and help Syrians gain some confidence, while negotiations continue about the core issues.
Tension has subsided a little in Syria after the US airstrikes in April in retaliation for the use of chemical weapons by Assad against his people. The airstrikes ratcheted up tension between US and Russia, Assad’s key ally. But in a phone call on Tuesday, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to ease the tension, with Washington expressing a desire to see the safe zones for the civil war’s refugees turning into a reality. The White House is expected to send an observer to the talks in Astana.
The current talks are centred on creating a conducive atmosphere for peace in Syria, and nobody knows how long the talks will take to tackle the most contentious issues. Most the world believes that a final agreement must see the departure of Assad to pave the way for a government that is acceptable to all Syrians.
