US Russia Turkey Saudi explore political solution on Syria

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) The United States Russia Turkey and Saudi Arabia met Oct. 23 to explore a political solution to the Syrian civil war despite basic disagreements over Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s fate and disputes over the ongoing strikes in the war-ridden country.

The summit came just days after a surprise visit by al-Assad to Moscow which hit the nerves of both the U.S. and Turkey.

There were no outward signs of progress toward ending the four-year conflict as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry metRussianForeign Minister Sergei Lavrov after which they held four-way talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirliolu and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.

Russia’s three-week-old campaign of air strikes against Islamist groups opposed to al-Assad has halted a summer offensive by rebels including some backed by Washington and its allies which had eroded al-Assad’s control in the heavily populated west of the country.

Russia has rejected Western calls for al-Assad to step down saying Syria’s leadership can only be decided by the Syrian people via elections and in the clearest sign of its backingRussianPresident Vladimir hosted him in Moscow this week.

Speaking in Berlin on Oct. 22 Kerry said al-Assad himself was the central obstacle to resolving a conflict that has driven an estimated 4 million refugees into Turkey Lebanon Jordan and Iraq.

“One thing stands in the way of being able to rapidly move to implement that and it’s a person called Assad - Bashar al-Assad” Kerry told reporters before he held talks withGermanForeign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

For his part Steinmeier suggested the U.S. andRussiawere still far apart. “We all know that ultimately the first steps into political solutions depend on whether Washington and Moscow find bridges towards each other” he said.

Putin said his Syrian counterpart had told him he was ready to talk to armed opposition groups if they are genuinely committed to dialogue and to combating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

“I will pull open the curtain a little on my talks with President al-Assad” Putin said at a forum in theRussianresort of Sochi on Oct. 22.

“I asked him: ‘What view would you take if we found now in Syria an armed opposition which nonetheless was ready to oppose and really fight against terrorists against Islamic State? What would be your view if we were to support their efforts in fighting Islamic State in the same way we are supporting the Syrian army’” Putin said.

“He answered: ‘I would view that positively’” Putin said of al-Assad.

TheRussianpresident went on: “We are now thinking about this and are trying if it works out to reach these agreements.”

Putin also said that at the root of the Syrian conflict was not just Islamist militancy but also internal tensions – a recognition that at least some of the people who rebelled against al-Assad’s rule had a legitimate grievance.

SeveralRussianlawmakers arrived in Syria on Oct. 23 for a meeting with al-Assad.

Local residents and refugees were ecstatic about Russia’s military help chanting “Thank you!” to a bus carrying Moscow-based journalists.

The White House issued a scathing attack on Russia’s “red carpet” welcome for al-Assad accusing Moscow of impeding progress towards a political transition by propping up the strongman.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz told journalists the U.S. viewed “the red carpet welcome for al-Assad who has used chemical weapons against his own people as at odds with the stated goal by the Russians for a political transition in Syria.” Moscow’s actions in the war-torn Middle-Eastern state were “counterproductive” he added.

The U.S. blasted Russia’s military strikes in Syria on Oct. 22 saying they were strengthening ISIL militants killing dozens of civilians forcing tens of thousands more from their homes and destroying schools and markets.

During a United Nations Security Council meeting on the Middle East U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power referred to a Reuters analysis ofRussianDefense Ministry data that found almost 80 percent of Russia’s declared targets in Syria had been in areas not held by ISIL.

“By attacking non-extremist groupsRussiahas boosted perversely the relative strength of [ISIL] which has taken advantage of this campaign by seizing new territory in rural Aleppo” Power said.

Turkish Prime MinisterAhmet Davutolusaid a peaceful transition could start in Syria if al-Assad “stayed in Moscow.”

“We need to work on formulae” for al-Assad’s exit he said Oct. 21 adding he wished al-Assad “hadn’t returned.”

TheRussianand Jordanian militaries meanwhile have agreed to coordinate actions on Syria via a special working mechanism in Amman Lavrov was quoted as saying by Rossiya-24 TV channel out of Vienna.

Lavrov added that other countries may join this mechanism.

Russia’s top diplomat also said Moscow would back talks between al-Assad’s government and the “full spectrum” of the Syrian opposition.

“Our common position is that we need to boost efforts for the political process in the Syrian settlement” Lavrov said. “This foresees the start of full-scale talks between representatives of the Syrian government and the full spectrum of the Syrian opposition both domestic and external – with the support of outside players.”
Jordan is a member of a U.S.-led coalition that is targeting ISIL in neighboring Syria.