Russia is seeking to promote its authority in Syria by calling for new talks to find a way to end the civil war. Its close alliance with Bashar Al Assad’s government means it cannot be treated as a neutral partner but even Russia should be listened to if it can find a way to stop the fighting.
But it is important that if anything comes out of this Russian initiative that any effort to find a political solution in Syria goes through the multilateral process started in the Geneva 1 and 2 talks which are the accepted framework for ending the conflict. Russia should not seek to start some kind of new process which would only confuse an already very difficult situation. Nonetheless, Al Assad’s government has leapt at the suggestion and said it is willing to participate in “preliminary consultations” to restart talks.
There will be no successful talks until all three sides recognise that they cannot win the war and need a negotiated solution. The Islamists feel they are doing well in the war and are encouraged by Daesh’s (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) success in Iraq. The Free Syrians are currently being re-armed and re-trained by the Americans and are expecting a successful spring campaign. The government is delighted to have hung on so long and has won some key battles recently. So none of them want to talk, and the secular and Islamist groups certainly do not want the Russians involved.
