Progress in the Syrian settlement can be achieved

 

Author: VK

 

Today Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem is expected in Moscow for a possible meeting with the leaders of the National Coalition of opposition and revolutionary forces.

 

According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennadi Gatilov, “dialogue is the most important thing which we, the Russian Federation, have always called for.Iin order to stop violence and bloodshed in Syria, both sides - the government and the opposition – should come to the negotiating table. It is, in fact, the main purpose of the Geneva communiqué of June 30, 2012. We have always called to start implementing what is written in this document. Unfortunately, up to now it was impossible to do this for a number of reasons, of which you are well aware. We failed to bring the opposition and the government to a negotiating platform. And in recent years we can be cautiously optimistic to say that in this respect shifts may occur. And the fact is that the representatives of the opposition and the government did find a way to come to the table of negotiations”.

 

According to Gatilov, “this requires consolidated efforts of so-called foreign players, those states that may have a corresponding impact on both sides - the government and the opposition. If together we can do this, it may be hoped that the political settlement process will move forward. With regard to Russia, immediately after the adoption of the Geneva communiqué we started to do our best, we tried to persuade the government to act in the spirit of the Geneva accords. We have met with almost all opposition groups and tried to persuade them to take the same path. So, as for us, we have always done this and will continue to do this today. We hope that our partners will act similarly in their relations with the opposition. Dialogue is possible if there is good will on the part of all those who are, first, interested in the political settlement in Syria, and, second, are willing to use their capabilities to make the process begin.  In Moscow, the visit of Syrian Foreign Minister Muallim is expected on February 25. We have certain contacts with the opposition, the Opposition Leader Khatib, but there is no specific timing of his arrival in Moscow. We supported and maintained diplomatic contacts with the United States on this issue and have a dialogue on how we work together to achieve a settlement of the crisis in Syria. You know that several rounds of tripartite talks in Geneva with the participation of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative Brahimi were held. And this format has shown that we have a lot in common, and if all sides are willing to do this, we can identify those areas in which we can work together, including with the United States, with the participation of the UN in order to achieve some progress in the Syrian settlement the UN in order to achieve some progress in the Syrian settlement”.

 

Moscow considers the refugee problem to be quite serious. “There are a huge number of Syrian refugees in neighboring territories, especially in Turkey, Jordan, in a number of other states. The humanitarian situation in the places where they are is very sad. Whenever possible the UN agencies assist people in need and do their best to ease their plight. Not always, of course, it is possible, and not in the same scale as we would like, but still, what is being done is a very important job. Naturally, we support this activity. We are involved in the supply of humanitarian goods through the UN structures and bilaterally, along with other countries. Therefore, we consider this a very important activity of the United Nations. By the way, the UN humanitarian leaders are in general satisfied with the cooperation with the Syrian government for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need. And they have repeatedly confirmed this publicly in the course of discussions in the Security Council and in bilateral contacts with us. Therefore, in this respect, international humanitarian leaders have no serious claims against the Syrian government. At the same time, and it should be noted, they have repeatedly complained that they experience difficulties with the delivery of humanitarian aid to areas under the control of the opposition. That is, they do not have access to these areas, and of course, this is reflected in the humanitarian situation in these regions”, Gatilov says.

 

As for the Arab League, Gatilov said that it plays a very important role in the Syrian settlement: “It is, in fact, one of the important players in this process. And much depends on its position. And you know that in the past the decisions that were taken in the Arab League concerning Syria and its role in the process of political decision-making, I think that the League has a very great potential, and it really can play an important and constructive role in the search for a political settlement”.