A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry yesterday that Moscow does not see keeping Syrian President Bashar Al Assad in power as a matter of principle is the clearest indication yet that Vladimir Putin could be open to the idea of abandoning Assad to pave the way for a solution to the Syrian civil war. Asked by a reporter on Tuesday if saving Assad was a matter of principle for Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “Absolutely not, we never said that. We are not saying that Assad should leave or stay,” RIA news agency quoted her as saying. The statement was quickly and rightly interpreted as Russia’s divergence with Iran on Syria. Moscow and Tehran are the biggest backers of Assad and both have been seen as determined to keep Assad in power.
It might be premature to read too much into the statement, and it could be possible that the Russian official who made the statement could have slipped in articulating the correct policy. But it offers an opening, an opportunity that many thought didn’t exist until now, and if rightly exploited by the Syrian opposition and the opponents of Assad inside Syria and abroad, could lead to a solution that most of the world is looking forward to – an end to the Syrian civil war resulting from the exit of Assad.
The United States, its Gulf allies and Turkey have insisted Assad must step down as part of any eventual peace deal. Talks in Vienna on Friday among the main foreign players involved in diplomatic efforts on Syria failed to reach agreement on Assad. Any change in Russian stance can make a solution easy. If Putin abandons the Syrian leader, Iran’s position will weaken and Assad himself will have no option but make an honourable exit.
Iran has sent forces to fight alongside Assad’s military and the Lebanese Hezbollah group, which it backs, has also sent fighters. The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, acknowledged that Russia “may not care if Assad stays in power as we do”. The Tasnim news agency quoted him on Monday as saying: “We don’t know any better person to replace him.”
It’s a fact that Russia has shown more flexibility in diplomatic efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict that has killed 250,000 and displaced millions. In another indication of Russia’s new thinking, Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying that Syrian government officials and members of the country’s splintered opposition could meet in Moscow next week. It’s not clear which opposition members might attend, but the invitation itself suggests a change in tone from Moscow because it has until now dismissed such groups.
A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry yesterday that Moscow does not see keeping Syrian President Bashar Al Assad in power as a matter of principle is the clearest indication yet that Vladimir Putin could be open to the idea of abandoning Assad to pave the way for a solution to the Syrian civil war. Asked by a reporter on Tuesday if saving Assad was a matter of principle for Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “Absolutely not, we never said that. We are not saying that Assad should leave or stay,” RIA news agency quoted her as saying. The statement was quickly and rightly interpreted as Russia’s divergence with Iran on Syria. Moscow and Tehran are the biggest backers of Assad and both have been seen as determined to keep Assad in power.
It might be premature to read too much into the statement, and it could be possible that the Russian official who made the statement could have slipped in articulating the correct policy. But it offers an opening, an opportunity that many thought didn’t exist until now, and if rightly exploited by the Syrian opposition and the opponents of Assad inside Syria and abroad, could lead to a solution that most of the world is looking forward to – an end to the Syrian civil war resulting from the exit of Assad.
The United States, its Gulf allies and Turkey have insisted Assad must step down as part of any eventual peace deal. Talks in Vienna on Friday among the main foreign players involved in diplomatic efforts on Syria failed to reach agreement on Assad. Any change in Russian stance can make a solution easy. If Putin abandons the Syrian leader, Iran’s position will weaken and Assad himself will have no option but make an honourable exit.
Iran has sent forces to fight alongside Assad’s military and the Lebanese Hezbollah group, which it backs, has also sent fighters. The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, acknowledged that Russia “may not care if Assad stays in power as we do”. The Tasnim news agency quoted him on Monday as saying: “We don’t know any better person to replace him.”
It’s a fact that Russia has shown more flexibility in diplomatic efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict that has killed 250,000 and displaced millions. In another indication of Russia’s new thinking, Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying that Syrian government officials and members of the country’s splintered opposition could meet in Moscow next week. It’s not clear which opposition members might attend, but the invitation itself suggests a change in tone from Moscow because it has until now dismissed such groups.
