Russia relies on Gulf countries to keep interests in Syria: officials
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – On Sunday, the head of the Future Syria Party Ibrahim al-Kaftan said that Russia relies on Gulf countries because it has realized the inability of Damascus to withstand the US and EU sanctions imposed on it, in conjunction with the lack of basic life needs.
Al-Kaftan told North Press that more than 80% of Syrians are at risk of hunger.
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov visited Gulf countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, from March 8 to 12.
“Russia realized that the difficult living and economic conditions that the Syrian government-held areas are witnessing could lead to a sudden collapse,” al-Kaftan added.
“This collapse means that Russia will lose all of its investments in addition to its military achievements during the past years, especially in the absence of a political consensus,” he referred.
The Syrian currency has collapsed to unprecedented levels after Russia was unable to change the western position of the Syrian government, lift its isolation in the Arab world, and return it to the Arab League, according to al-Kaftan.
Last week, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed criticized, in a press conference with his Russian counterpart, “the Caesar Act, which imposed sanctions on figures and entities affiliated with the Syrian regime.”
“The return of Syria to its surroundings is a must,” Zayed added.
Al-Kaftan pointed out that the Emiratis’ call met with a response from the US and the EU.
The US response was represented by “the necessity for Damascus and its supporters to resort to political dialogue in order to achieve a sustainable end to the suffering of the Syrian people.”
Al-Kaftan believes that the sanctions “will not be lifted on Damascus before the political transition in the country.”
“Russia tries to deliver a message to the Gulf and European countries that reaching an agreement on the Syrian issue is far from Iran’s interventions, as this is not accepted by any Arab, European, American, or Israeli party,” he referred.
“Turkey seeks to restore its weakened relations with the Gulf countries because of its interference in the Syrian issue, its continuous support for terrorist blocs, and its dependent on a fragile opposition which lacks the popular support of Syrians,” he pointed out.