hmeimim
© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS More: http://tass.ru/en/world/862052

Comment: In the last two days, the Russians have had several consultations with local Syrians. This seems to be the result: an opposition group formed by real Syrians, not the violent hordes of foreign mercenaries and thrill-seekers supported by the U.S. and their allies. And while Russia continues to make constructive moves to foster actual democracy in Syria, the U.S.'s contrary intentions continue to be exposed. From today's bulletin on the results of the ceasefire:
In the course of the teleconferences, the Russian party expressed dismay at ceasefire violations near Kafr Nabudah (Hama province) carried out by opposition detachments, which had been put by the American party into list of detachments joined the ceasefire regime and located in assigned areas.
It was bound to happen sooner or later.


A new Syrian opposition group has been formed at a meeting at Russia's Hmeimim base and it may come to Geneva, Russian Ambassador to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva Alexey Borovavkin told TASS on Monday.

"We are pleased to note that the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and his office have welcomed the formation of a new moderate opposition group," the diplomat said. "Staffan de Mistura has promised to negotiate the issue of inviting representatives of this group to the Geneva negotiations."

According to Borodavkin, this group comprises oppositionists who live and work in Syria but who have not been included in the political structure that is currently in power.

"They have taken advantage of the cessation of hostilities regime and said that they support this regime, support the Russian-American statement on how this regime should be implemented, consolidated their political will, adopted a relevant statement and created a so-called secular opposition group in Hmeimim. It happened at the base of our Center for reconciliation," the ambassador said.

According to Borodavkin, this new group could join the negotiations on Syrian settlement and could "make a positive and constructive contribution to making agreements on the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2254 in the part related to the political settlement of the Syrian crisis."

TASS has learnt that this group comprises doctors, lawyers, engineers, journalist and public activist representing the Syrian organization National Action, the Front for Democratic Action in Syria, the Syrian National Youth Party and Syrian Fatherland Party, as well as the International Red Cross Committee and others. The oppositionists call themselves the Hmeimim group.