This file photo shows delegates during peace talks for Syria at Astana’s Rixos President Hotel, in the Kazakh capital, on January 23, 2017. (By AFP)
Majority of so-called Syrian opposition groups have refused to attend the Astana talks launched on Tuesday, blaming Moscow and Damascus for violating the terms of the ongoing ceasefire.
“Currently the decision is not to go as a result of Russia continuing its crimes in Syria against civilians and its support of the crimes of the Syrian regime,” Reuters quoted Osama Abu Zaid, a spokesman for pro-Turkish militant groups, as saying.
According to Reuters, militants had informed its main supporter, Turkey, of their decision. This means that the move was coordinated with Ankara.
The only militant group which is expected to be invovled in the talks is Southern Front, a coalition of militant groups formed in 2014 and comprising of over 50 small factions, including the Syrian Revolutionaries Front, 18 March Division, Sham Liberation Army and others.
Southern Front is backed by the US, Jordan, France, Saudi Arabia and the UAE and operates in southern Syria.
Iran, Syria, Russia, and Turkey became the main sides of the talks with the US and the UN playing roles of observers.
Good news. Headchopping foreign terrorist gangs should not be allowed to participate in Syrias future. They dont have to meet with Russian diplomats, they have to meet with Russian bullets. And hellfire from TOS-Buratino thermobaric weapon.
Exactly!! These talks are kinda pointless, ISIS and the others aren’t interested in any kind of peace or ceasefire, but neither are the SAA, because they won’t rest until they’ve completely taken back THEIR country!
This opposition people are just poppets (aware or not aware) of Israel-USA-OTAN plan to destroy Syria, and I am totally agree with Kim Jong.
A lot of posturing from the various sides and a lot of information from TASS on all of this:
“The reasons for the Syrian armed opposition’s non-participation in the current Astana meeting are not convincing, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.”
More:
http://tass.com/politics/935365
“There is no threat of disruption of the intra-Syrian negotiations in Astana, head of the Russian delegation, Presidential Envoy for the Syrian Settlement, Alexander Lavrentiev, said on Tuesday.”
More:
http://tass.com/politics/935414
“Turkey as a guarantor of the nationwide ceasefire in Syria bears responsibility for the armed Syrian opposition’s refusal to take part in the Astana talks, Syria’s envoy to the UN Bashar Jaafari, who heads the government’s delegation, said on Tuesday.”
More:
http://tass.com/world/935351
Who knows?
Somebody must have shown-up with another ‘Herc’ full of greenbacks and guns. Assad was right to continue bombing them all.