Talk:Syria peace talks

Talks?
US special representative Daniel Rubinstein will visit Moscow to discuss Syria. Media note: As part of our ongoing efforts to bring about a political solution to the Syrian conflict, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Daniel Rubinstein will travel May 15-27 to Geneva, Moscow, Ankara, Istanbul, and Riyadh to participate in UN-led consultations on Syria with UN Envoy Staffan de Mistura, discuss with officials of several governments the need for a sustainable political transition based on the Geneva principles, and continue his engagement with the leadership of Syria’s moderate political opposition. This trip reaffirms the United States’ strong commitment to working with the international community and the moderate Syrian opposition to create conditions for a negotiated political transition as the only means to end the ongoing conflict, and to help Syrians lay the foundation for a free, democratic, and pluralistic future. The United States remains firmly of the belief that Bashar al-Assad has no role in Syria’s political future. --Resup (talk) 02:37, 15 May 2015 (UTC)

Russia calls for Geneva-3 format meeting -discussed by special representatives of  Russia Mikhail Bogdanov and UN,  Staffan de Mistura.--Resup (talk) 02:37, 15 May 2015 (UTC)

Kerry ready to negotiate with Assad, Assad: needs 'actions not words'--Resup (talk) 14:57, 16 March 2015 (UTC)

'Moscow Platform'
10.4.15 'Moscow Platform': Syria's government, opposition adopt joint document but differences remain, news.yahoo, TASS, Reuters, presstv.ir
 * Head of Syrian government delegation confirms adoption of joint document with opposition. The document includes provisions on resolving the Syrian crisis based on the principles of the June 30, 2012 Geneva Communique and the UN Security Council resolution on the fight against terrorism. --Resup (talk) 14:41, 11 April 2015 (UTC)

19.11.2015 It is said that opposition and government tried to reach an agreement on a 15 day ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta. This was to be concluded around November, 20. There are conflicting reports on what happened. Some say that there was a success, while Western sources and SOHR report on talks failure and renewed attacks.
 * On 19.11, Jaish al-Islam group said it is studying the proposal -alarabiya.net

19.11.2015 A meeting has been scheduled in Saudi Arabia to bring together moderate Syrian opposition groups, in an attempt to present them as a united front in future negotiations -alarabiya.net. Separate meeting in Jordan to decide which are terrorist groups, apart from the two explicitly listed already--Resup (talk) 15:29, 21 November 2015 (UTC)

Prague?

 * Sides in Syrian civil war interested in signing peace deal in Prague, says Milos Zeman, 30.9.2015
 * Assad supported Prague as peace deal venue (but not e.g. France), in an interview to Czech TV. Daily mail, 30.11.2015:

"And as you mention Prague, it would be generally accepted because of the balanced position of your country"


 * President al-Assad to Czech TV: Defeating terrorism will remove obstacles in front of any political process, SANA, Dec.1, 2015 (dialogue with peaceful opposition, amnesty to armed opposition laying down arms; critical of Western coalition; will not step down during the conflict --this will be decided by elections...).

Vienna meeting
30.10.15 Progress reported on issues of starting political process: transitional government, elections, constitutional reform, with an oversight by a special body and UN. No progress on Assad future and foreign military presence. Some document will be circulated soon. (Based on several reports in TASS quoting several delegation participants). List of which are terrorist organizations and which are not were discussed as well. Another meeting in a couple of weeks--Resup (talk) 17:45, 30 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Communique-quoting Reuters (a reshuffled version given by TASS)--Resup (talk) 20:26, 30 October 2015 (UTC)


 * 14.11.15 Statement of the International Syria Support Group, posted by UN Secretary General Office. Ceasefire, starting political process, refugees, stopping illegal trade, terror groups designation, transitional government, constitution, elections. 18 months time frame, -but apparently no rigid goalposts.  Terror attack in Paris occurred on the eve of the meeting on 13.11.15  --Resup (talk) 18:02, 14 November 2015 (UTC)

New York meeting

 * Dec 5, 2015. Next meeting in New York announced. According to TASS-Russian, Kerry said (translating back) that "If Russia and Iran will be acting to (as a) block and allow Assad to fail the process, and there is no transition (of political power), then our range of options will be reduced and we will have to make some tough decisions
 * Dec 6, 2015. Saudi Arabia says it will host Syria opposition meet, Reuters. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sent an invitation to all the moderate portions of the Syrian opposition of different types and trends, and from its ethnic, sectarian and political spectrum inside and outside Syria," SPA reported, citing an official source at the foreign ministry... Saudi rival Iran has criticized the opposition conference, saying it would cause the failure of international talks. Tehran said on Sunday Assad's fate should only be decided by the Syrian people. Russian sources highlight part of the announcement saying that the invitation was discussed 'with majority of international partners', and UN special representative -RIA --Resup (talk) 21:52, 6 December 2015 (UTC)

Is an agreement possible?
Yes, there is a narrow path, 'between Scylla and Charybdis' According to Kerry "...all parties have stated that they support — a unified Syria, a nonsectarian Syria, a Syria which will choose its own leadership in the future by an election that they have all agreed will be supervised by the United Nations under the highest standards of international law". There is no guarantee though, as there is no agreement on the future of Assad, and the issue has developed into entrenched positions for the parties. 'Moderate opposition' and its sponsors are fearful, apparently, that if elections are held, Assad may well win, as a well-known major quantity against fractured and nameless opposition with yet unknown common agenda, seemingly requiring foreign sponsorship to emerge. An outcome of Assad winning is yet postulated as unacceptable. Meanwhile, Russia has stated that it supports Syrian statehood but not Assad personally. So if a change of leader comes naturally as a result of processes run ('owned') by the Syrian state, it may be acceptable--and even more so if there are some meaningful incentives (which may include respect/equal treatment) for Russia. But foreign-ordered regime change is almost surely not OK for Russia; which in practice means that it has to be decided by elections. Luckily, both USA and Russia are highly skilled in elections art, each in their own way; and so it is possible that some magic words of agreement which would suit all can be found. --With so many parties and conflicting interests involved, there is not much else we can do but to see how all this will develop. --Resup (talk) 21:43, 7 December 2015 (UTC)

Plot to arm rebels?
Why is John Kerry shaking hands with Putin and suddenly calling for peace talks?

I believe the peace talks push is yet another plot to "level the playing field" and help the rebels.

All other plans have failed to produce a no-fly-zone or bring arms to the rebels. The Houla Massacre hoax failed, the Aqrab Massacre hoax failed, the chemical weapons hoax failed. Something new must be tried this time.


 * 1) Talks cost nothing. Even if the rebels show up they have not given up anything. At best the talks may force the Syrian army to ease off on the anti-terror operations.
 * 2) The rebels will refuse to show up, unless they are given weapons by the West. In fact, this plan of action has been agreed on beforehand between the rebels and their Western masters. The plan is to use the prospect of the peace talks to push through the political decision to arm the rebels against an ever more critical European public.

This is the line that will be force-fed to the Western public. The rebels are now peace-loving, so we need to support them. The arms will not kill anyone, they are only needed to give the rebels "a better bargaining position."

Reading today's headlines shows that this narrative is already taking shape. -- Petri Krohn (talk) 20:48, 16 May 2013 (UTC)

Mistura, "Freeze" Peace Plan

 * ''moved from Talk:Sectarianism in the Syrian Conflict

Lavrov and UN envoy Saffan de Mistura will meet in Moscow
 * Action Group for Syria Final Communiqué 30.06.2012 --Resup (talk) 03:31, 21 October 2014 (UTC)

White House web page on Syria, as it stands, now one year old... --Resup (talk) 20:10, 4 November 2014 (UTC)

Damascus, Syria, 11 November 2014 by Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy for Syria "...UN came up with a proposal of a UN initiative which is a freeze, which in Arabic is “Tajmeed”. This is a new way to see and achieve what we hope to bring a de-escalation of violence. It is different from previous ceasefires. It is a new way for approaching the de-escalation of violence, in particular in one place to start with-Aleppo. That means stop fighting, stop fighting, no one moves from where they are, that means facilitating the implementation in that location of (Security Council) resolutions 2178, 2170 and the resolutions for humanitarian aid. Through that, a hope, to bring a sign of hope and bring some form of stability and therefore a process towards stability. This means, if that freeze works in one place, we can replicate it elsewhere. If that "freeze" works, and we hope it will, then this could be a building block for a political process and certainly this is not a substitute to what is a political solution but it certainly is an incentive in that direction. Meanwhile, we continue regionally, nationally and internationally to push for a political solution." (by Staffan de Mistura, UN envoy, Syria) --Resup (talk) 21:20, 11 November 2014 (UTC)


 * All good material, but what does any of that have to do with "sectarianism?" (that is, fighting between / abuse of / threats against different religious groups / different sects of Islam?) --Caustic Logic (talk) 23:06, 11 November 2014 (UTC)
 * Not sure where it belongs. This is not exactly "peace," sectarianism may be closest fit of an existing page with actual situation, but please feel free to move it wherever it belongs (if anywhere at all). --Resup (talk) 23:39, 11 November 2014 (UTC)
 * No big rush. But on this "freeze" idea, sounded unrealistic to me. Now Edward Dark tweets "nothing "freezing" in Aleppo except maybe for the coming winter. sounds of explosions and gunfire all over the place tonight #Syria"

Aleppo rebels reject UN plan for temporary truce-aljazeera. Insufficien t according to Syrian Free Army, but UN keeps trying- according to TASS--Resup (talk) 21:29, 2 March 2015 (UTC)

Faith Dialogues?(inner/inter)

 * Haroon Moghul, CNN