PHOTO: President Vladimir Putin makes a point to US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday in Moscow


LATEST

FRIDAY FEATURES

Interviews: Citizen Journalists in Daraa Talk of Dangers and Threats
Analysis: Why Was Assad’s Military Commander Brother Demoted?


US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian President Vladimir Putin have exchanged warm words, but revealed little of substance in a four-hour meeting in Moscow about Syria’s crisis.

Kerry said at the start of Thursday’s talks:

The serious approach that we have been able to cooperate on has made a difference to the life of people in Syria and to the possibilities of making progress on peace,” Kerry said at the start of talks with Putin in Moscow.

The people of Syria and the people of the region have as a result been able to taste and smell the possibilities of what it means to have a huge reduction of violence and receive humanitarian assistance.

Putin replied:

We understand that what we have been able to achieve on Syria has been possible only thanks to the position of the U.S. top political leadership, President Obama. I very much hope that your visit will allow us to bring our positions closer on moving forward to solve the Syrian crisis and…on Ukraine.

After the meeting, Kerry said the two sides had “agreed on a target schedule for establishing a framework for a political transition and also a draft constitution, both of which we targeted by August”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was also in the discussion, said that the US and Russia “agreed to push for the soonest start of direct talks between the government delegations and the whole spectrum of the opposition…[about] a transitional governance structure”.

Russia’s military intervention from last September, coupled with an effort for international talks, has led to the renewal of talks in Geneva trying to bring regime and opposition-rebel delegations together for negotiations.

However, President Assad and his inner circle have continued to hold out against direct talks, insisting that Assad’s future cannot be part of the discussions brokered by UN envoy Sergei Lavrov.

On March 14, Putin suddenly announced that Russia will withdraw “most” of its forces from Syria. There have been signs, but no confirmation, that Moscow may be distancing itself from Assad while wanting to ensure that elements of his regime retain power in a political transition.

As talks adjourned after 10 days on Thursday, de Mistura said, “We have to start focusing on the political process.”

The envoy’s working document for both sides calls for implementation of a UN resolution guaranteeing the political transition.

The text also calls for an unequivocal rejection of terrorism, reform of state institutions, a “democratic, non-sectarian” state, rebuilding of the Syrian army on “national criteria”, and preservation of women’s rights in fair representation.

Kerry: “A Very Productive Relationship”

In an interview with Russian State outlet TASS, Kerry hailed a “very productive relationship” with Lavrov and said, “President Putin has been very gracious to spend time with me when I’ve come here and to work at trying to find a solution to very complicated issues.”

Kerry declared, “We’re actually very pleased that Russia is concerned about that extremism and wants to fight against Daesh [the Islamic State] and other extremists.”

The Secretary of State’s comments on Syria were solely about that “extremism” rather than issues about the Assad regime and political transition:

Russia is threatened by what is happening in Syria. You have Chechens who are fighting on the ground in Syria, several thousands of them. And we share the concern that President Putin has about the potential return of those terrorists to the motherland. Nobody wants to see that happen. We also don’t want to see those people going to Brussels, going to Paris, going to other parts of the world and blowing people up.

Lavrov: “West Triggered Terrorism”

In contrast to Kerry’s praise, Lavrov said on Friday that the US and its allies are to blamed for the rise of terrorism:

As for terrorism and the origins of this terrible present-day threat, I do not even know if there is anything here to argue about. There are many analysts and political figures, including in the United States who admit that that terrorism was largely triggered by erroneous actions of the West in that region.

I’m not even going to remember the Afghanistan campaign, when in order to confront the USSR, the United States in the 1980s actively contributed to the creation from the Mujahideen movement of an organization that subsequently became the notorious Al-Qa’eda. And on September 11, 2001 this organization attacked the United States.


State TV, Pro-Regime Outlets: Syrian Army & Hezbollah Enter Palmyra

State TV and pro-regime outlets have renewed the claim that the Syrian military and Hezbollah, supported by Russian airstrikes, have entered the Islamic State-held city of Palmyra in central Syria.

State TV said on Friday that Palmyra Castle has been captured, while Al-Masdar News asserted that the forces have entered the southern gate of the city and are now fighting for the prison. Al-Masdar also claims that the Syrian-Hezbollah force, which also includes Iranian elements, has taken a brigade base north of Palmyra.

State TV said on Wednesday that regime forces were in the Roman-era city, after weeks of advances in the area, but the Syrian military later pulled back the claim (see earlier entry).

Regime and Russian attacks on Palmyra Castle:


Friday Protests Across Syria: “Assad Manufactures Terrorism”

Opposition protests have been held for the fourth Friday in a row, claiming that the Assad regimes actions in Syria have created the conditions for terrorism.

Saqba Near Damascus — “We Want Freedom”:

Douma, northeast of Damascus — “Assad is the manufacturer of terrorism”:

EAST GHOUTA DEMO 25-03-16

Kafranbel in Idlib Province:

KAFRANBEL 25-03-16

Saida in Daraa Province:


State Media Pulls Back Reports of Troops in Palmyra

State media has pulled back on Thursday’s reports that pro-Assad forces are inside the Islamic State-held city of Palmyra in central Syria.

The outlets had said that the Syrian military — enabled by Russian airstrikes and accompanied by Hezbollah, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and foreign militia — were in the southwestern part of the Roman-era city.

However, the Syrian military said on Friday that “the army is edging closer to Palmyra…fighting ISIS terrorists in the vicinity”.

A “military source” said the offensive had established control over a hill near Palmyra Castle.

The offensive has advanced for weeks near Palmyra, taken by the Islamic State in May 2015 after a rapid advance across eastern Homs Province.

Syrian troops in the countryside near the city:

SYRIA TROOPS NEAR PALMYRA