Astana Talks weaken political solution, prolong Syrian conflict: Raqqa intellectuals
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Intellectuals in the city of Raqqa, north Syria, said yesterday Astana Peace Talks have weakened opportunities to find a political solution for the Syrian crisis and prolonged the conflict.
The 17th round of Astana Talks is scheduled to convene in the Kazakh capital, Nur Sultan on December 21.
Abdurrahman al-Ahmad, head of Intellectuals Union in Raqqa, said Astana and Sochi meetings guaranteed by Russia, has emptied the meetings form their real contents and wasted chances of political solutions.
“Russia backed the Syrian regime in using military power and suspended the UN Resolution 2245 that approved a political transition of power in Syria,” al-Ahmad added.
The Astana Peace Talks have procrastinated finding a solution for the Syrian crisis and the Syrians’ hopes for a democratic change in Syria, according to al-Ahmad.
On January 23, 2017, Russia, Turkey and Iran kicked off the first round of Astana Talks in the Kazakh capital attended by representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition.
Bashir al-Hassan, member of the Intellectuals Union in Raqqa, said the talks, which were held in the first place to find a solution for the Syrian crisis, have failed. Moreover, they have contributed to prolonging the military conflict in Syria.
The foreign powers which intervened in the Syrian affair, specially Turkey, took advantage of the talks and meetings and so increased its military escalation and extended its territories of influence inside Syria.
All the Syrians refuse the foreign incursion in the Syrian affairs and wish to make a peaceful change that ensures the unity of Syria and meet the aspirations of the Syrian people.
In general, the Astana Peace Talks discusses the mechanism through which humanitarian assistance to be delivered to Syria and the work of the Syrian Constitutional Committee. All these postpone a progress to reach a real political solution for the Syrian crisis.
Outcomes of the upcoming Astana Peace Talks are no difference from the previous ones. Russia and Turkey have always attempted to gain as much profit and influence in Syria as possible amid contradiction of interests of both countries in the areas they control.