21st round of Astana on Syria fails to yield solutions
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The 21st round of the Astana format in Kazakhstan brought nothing to the table compared to previous ones. The closing statement emphasized the independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria.
The 21st round took place on Jan. 24-25 with the participation of Russia, Iran, and Turkey, as well as the U.N., Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq as observers.
The Syrian war witnesses international intervention from various parties, each seeking to obtain gains and impose their agendas.
Through Astana, Russia seeks to exert continuous pressure on the U.S. to withdraw from Syria and extend the government control in Damascus over the entire Syrian geography.
The participants emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to restore ties between Turkey and Syria based on mutual respect, goodwill, and good neighborliness in order to combat terrorism.
The statement condemned Israeli strikes on Syrian territory and what it called the “illegitimate seizure” of oil revenues. It also addressed the importance of creating suitable conditions for the return of Syrian refugees, in addition to the necessity of delivering humanitarian aid to Syria. opposing.
Ahmad Tomah, head of the Syrian opposition delegation to the Astana talks, stated that the results of the first day were reasonable, adding that the escalation in Idlib Governorate, northwestern Syria, by Russian and Syrian government forces would not continue in adherence to the 2020 ceasefire agreement in northwestern Syria.
He further stated that the issue of detainees and the resumption of the work of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, formed by the U.N. with the aim of finding a settlement for the Syrian crisis, were also discussed.
Meanwhile, the statements of the government and Russian delegations focused on attacking the American presence in Syria.
The participating countries decided to hold the 22nd round of the Astana talks in the second half of 2024.