The developments in the Middle East are continuing to adversely impact the prospects for peace in Syria. Expectations are high about the peace talks scheduled for this month between the Syrian government and the opposition, but a United Nations official hinted yesterday that the talks could be postponed because the regional powers spearheading the peace process are yet agree on who will take part in the talks. The talks, scheduled to open in Geneva on January 25, are extremely important because it will be the first meeting between the regime of Bashar Al Assad and the opposition since 2012.
Unfortunately, the Syrian crisis has become entangled in the regional politics, with too many foreign players claiming stakes both in the continuation and ouster of Bashar Al Assad. A vast majority of Syrians want Assad to leave, but an alliance led by Russia and Iran is delaying his departure. Peace negotiations are the only way to find a solution to the crisis but not all are optimistic about the future of talks. Secondly, the Western powers lack the determination to solve the crisis, even though they have been directly affected by the refugee problem caused by the Syrian war.
The presence of too many players is complicating the talks. Seventeen countries are pushing for a peace deal, including the US, Russia in addition to the regional powers. All these countries need to agree on the list of opposition leaders who will have a seat at the negotiating table. “At this stage, the UN will proceed with issuing invitations when the countries spearheading the international Syrian Support Group process come to an understanding on who among the opposition should be invited,” said UN spokesman Farhan Haq.
Differences are likely to persist because all sides are adopting a tough stance. Peace in Syria is possible only through the exit of Assad, and any attempt to keep him in power will only prolong the crisis at the cost of more lives. Arab countries and their western allies must try harder to forge unity on this issue and come up with practical solutions.
The Geneva talks are aiming at a new constitution and elections in 18 months to end the five-year war. That’s a tough objective. But at the same time, there is no alternative to talks. This is a war that has killed more than 260,000 people, displaced millions and triggered a mass refugee exodus to Europe. But the death toll is increasingly becoming just a number, and the daily deaths are failing to cause any shock and consternation. The starvation deaths in Syria’s besieged town of Madaya, which grabbed global headlines, will also be forgotten soon.
The developments in the Middle East are continuing to adversely impact the prospects for peace in Syria. Expectations are high about the peace talks scheduled for this month between the Syrian government and the opposition, but a United Nations official hinted yesterday that the talks could be postponed because the regional powers spearheading the peace process are yet agree on who will take part in the talks. The talks, scheduled to open in Geneva on January 25, are extremely important because it will be the first meeting between the regime of Bashar Al Assad and the opposition since 2012.
Unfortunately, the Syrian crisis has become entangled in the regional politics, with too many foreign players claiming stakes both in the continuation and ouster of Bashar Al Assad. A vast majority of Syrians want Assad to leave, but an alliance led by Russia and Iran is delaying his departure. Peace negotiations are the only way to find a solution to the crisis but not all are optimistic about the future of talks. Secondly, the Western powers lack the determination to solve the crisis, even though they have been directly affected by the refugee problem caused by the Syrian war.
The presence of too many players is complicating the talks. Seventeen countries are pushing for a peace deal, including the US, Russia in addition to the regional powers. All these countries need to agree on the list of opposition leaders who will have a seat at the negotiating table. “At this stage, the UN will proceed with issuing invitations when the countries spearheading the international Syrian Support Group process come to an understanding on who among the opposition should be invited,” said UN spokesman Farhan Haq.
Differences are likely to persist because all sides are adopting a tough stance. Peace in Syria is possible only through the exit of Assad, and any attempt to keep him in power will only prolong the crisis at the cost of more lives. Arab countries and their western allies must try harder to forge unity on this issue and come up with practical solutions.
The Geneva talks are aiming at a new constitution and elections in 18 months to end the five-year war. That’s a tough objective. But at the same time, there is no alternative to talks. This is a war that has killed more than 260,000 people, displaced millions and triggered a mass refugee exodus to Europe. But the death toll is increasingly becoming just a number, and the daily deaths are failing to cause any shock and consternation. The starvation deaths in Syria’s besieged town of Madaya, which grabbed global headlines, will also be forgotten soon.
