Posted on 01/30/2018 1:59:24 PM PST by GoldenState_Rose
A Syrian peace conference in Russia ended on Tuesday with a statement calling for democratic elections but ignoring key opposition demands after a day marred by squabbles and heckling of the Russian foreign minister.
Russia hosted what it called a Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. After helping turn the tide of the war in Syria in Assad’s favor, Moscow has cast itself as a Middle East peace broker.
However, the event was boycotted by the leadership of the Syrian opposition, while powers such as the United States, Britain and France stayed away because of what they said was the Syrian government’s refusal to properly engage.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov helped open the conference on Tuesday by reading out a statement from President Vladimir Putin saying the conditions were ripe for Syria to turn “a tragic page” in its history.
But some delegates stood up and began heckling him, accusing Moscow of killing civilians in Syria with its air strikes.
Other delegates shouted out their support for Russia.
In a further setback, one group of delegates, which included members of the armed opposition who had flown in from Turkey, refused to leave Sochi airport until Syrian government flags and emblems - which they said were offensive - had been removed.
“We were surprised that none of the promises that were given had been kept, the ferocious bombing of civilians had not stopped. Nor were the flags and banners of the regime removed,” he said in a video recorded at the airport.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Russia should be able to make peace in the Middle East.
It has been done many times before - everybody needs a day off now and then.
Hopefully Russia comes to realize it has taken on more than it can diplomatically manage, with Syria, realizes its alliance with Iran and Assad has more limited prospects than it thought, and begins to disengage before it has to install a puppet of it’s own in place of Assad. That would turn former Assad supporters against Russia, along with the rest of the so-called “Syrian opposition”. Russia’s position may not have been seen before, or now as a “quagmire” but it could become one.
Putin’s out Neocon-ed himself and his geopolitical poker interventions will all backfire. He’s copycatted everything wrong he’s accused the U.S. of doing abroad this past decade only worse - as his country is operating from a much weaker place domestically and economically speaking. What a hypocrite. What a loser.
Thanks GoldenState_Rose.
I think Russia backed away.
Not yet sure if to allow Turkey to hang themselves, or if to let Turkey shoot Kurds into subjection to Assad.
Both suck. Iran & Assad intend to punish Kurds to get at US.
But Russia is not the path to freedom.
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