Astana 14 came to maintain the parallel path to the field solution in Syria – Former opposition official
North-Press Agency
A former Syrian opposition official has considered that the latest round of Astana meetings came mainly to maintain the parallel path to the field solution in Syria. Wael Alwan a former official of the Syrian opposition and a researcher at Jusoor Center for Studies told North-Press that “the participating delegations did not agree on the agenda, and said that the final solution is set and has a plan and general form, but there are differences in the implementation and details.”
All the parties that participated in Astana meetings are keen on continuing the understandings, even at the lowest levels by diplomatic means. According to Alwan: "All parties, especially the Turkish and the Russian, are fully aware that there are cross-interests, and that each party must take into account the interest of the other party.”
Regarding the agenda of the participating delegations, the former opposition official pointed out that there was no significant agreement between their agendas, as each party focuses on a different side; the opposition delegation focused on the file of detainees, the Constitutional Committee and a serious and complete ceasefire, in addition to not starting military operations under the pretext that it is not wide.
While regarding Idlib and the contradictory Russian statements regarding its fate, Alwan indicated that the matter is political and there are negotiating papers with which all parties play in Syria, noting that the possibility that there is a discrepancy between one stage and another in the statements or positions as a result of the progress of the negotiating process, is permissible. He also emphasized that the final solution is set and has a plan and general form, but there are differences in the implementation and details.
Alwan noted that Russia considers the de-escalation zones as a Turkish responsibility as it has established observation posts in these areas, believing that it cannot impose many things on the ground because there are some groups in the region that are not compatible with the Turkish policy, so these posts are only for recording the events.”
He added that Turkey needs time to implement Sochi Agreement by opening the M4 and M5 highways, in addition to establishing a demilitarized zone without significant losses in case a clash between the opposition groups and the Russian or the Syrian government side broke out.
Regarding the Constitutional Committee, Wael Alwan told North-Press that the Syrian government was forced to enter the political process in general and the Constitutional Committee in particular, so that it is not seriously interacting and trying to disrupt it, stressing that Russia can put pressure on the Syrian government to engage seriously in the political process.