By Vestnik Kavkaza
The current president Bashar Assad won the elections of June 3rd in Syria. Along with the current head of the Syrian state, Bashar Assad, two other candidates took part in the election. However, the main opponents of the regime in the West and the region called the election a farce in advance, and they are still counting on the military overthrow of Assad.
Pyotr Stegny, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Russian Diplomats, ambassador, speaks about the influence of the presidential election on a settlement of the crisis in Syria. He notes: “It’s clear that the election convincingly demonstrated overwhelming support for President Assad and his desire for peace from the Syrian people, to start the process of healing Syria, curing the wounds inflicted by the war. It’s difficult to say how much the election results and the fact itself of the election will bring a political settlement closer. It’s a lost chance in the context of “Geneva–2”, and now it’s difficult to say how events will develop in the calculated short-term outlook. On the one hand, we observe attempts to carry out the resolution on Syria, which in fact which would give a green light to deliveries of advanced weaponry to the fighting groups of the opposition. New formats like an Islamic Army have been created, as though these formats differ from terrorists or jihadists, who pose a risk not only to this region, but to the whole world. And we can see echoes of this phenomenon rather close to our borders. Nevertheless, the elections and this condensed will of the people could be the impulse for returning the political process to a rational, reasonable course. As far as regional players and international players are able to calculate all the chances, to understand the danger of the continuation of military confrontation, the danger of the growth of the confrontation in Syria into a regional conflict, we have already been on the edge of really serious pitfalls on our general way. I think the entire course of world events is leading to an increased understanding that there is no serious alternative to diplomacy in politics. Anyway, three years of civil strife in Syria have led to this conclusion with an unbiased view of things, and the presidential election confirmed it once again.”
