Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL METZEL/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)
Posted on 12/30/2017 5:52:06 AM PST by Texas Fossil
Incessant political squabbles again remind us how fragile the political process in Syria can be. But Russia, despite all bottlenecks hampering a settlement, continues with its efforts. Unless the congress is delayed again, it will take place Jan. 29-30. Meanwhile, Russia searches for ways to have the Kurds represented without breaking its promise to Iran and Turkey to jointly agree on invitees.
By doing so, Moscow gives the impression that it respects Ankara’s red lines but isn't hesitating to display its relations with the Kurds. The latest such display was to invite Sipan Hemo, general commander of the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), to Moscow several weeks ago. Hemo was ostensibly invited to attend a ceremony awarding heroism medals to Russian commanders who fought in Syria. While he was in Moscow, Hemo had a series of meetings with Russian general staff, foreign intelligence and defense officials.
According to Hemo, Russians confirmed that 155 names from the Kurdish democratic autonomy in northern Syria will be at Sochi. Asked about the sensitive topic of the Syrian Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) participation, Hemo noted that the Russians said the invitation to the congress was not for parties but for the entire Syrian people.
(Excerpt) Read more at al-monitor.com ...
It is a hard article to excerpt. I recommend reading at the source link.
It is clear that both the Russians and the US are respectful of and supporting to the Kurds. Regardless of what Putin's allies, Iran and Turkey, say. (I use the term allies very loosely.)
US's NATO "ally" Turkey is as big an obstacle in this as Iran is. Both are Totalitarian Islamist regimes, Turkey is Sunni and Iran is Shia.
This is a worthwhile read. Al-Monitor is one of the best news sources in the Middle East. (Some articles are very biased, but most are not. I am respectful of Al-Monitor)
“”We really don’t know what the outcome of Sochi will be. We don’t know what the plan is and what is expected””
That’s nothing. The article isn’t telling us what is going to be done in Sochi...All I know is it’s not the Winter Olympics....and YES - I did read the article.
Meanwhile, the regime’s combat focus seems to have shifted to the NW of Syria, where their forces are moving up into Idlib Province, fighting against al Queda-affiliated rebels.
Russia is still involved, despite recent announcements of withdrawal.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL METZEL/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)
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