TASSFri, 29 Jun 2018 14:25 UTC
© Piotr Kovalev/TASS
The next Astana format meeting that will involve three Syrian ceasefire guarantor nations (Iran, Russia and Turkey) will be held in Sochi on July 30-31, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin told reporters on Friday.
"It will be held in the last two days of July, that has essentially been agreed, and in the format that we used before, that is, the three guarantor countries, the observer states and the Syrian parties," he said. "I believe the work in the Astana format is a big achievement, and we would like to push ahead with these efforts."
According to Vershinin, an important result of the Astana process is the setting up of the working group on exchanging detainees and bodies of those killed. "This is hard work, but so far the only efforts, which help establish trust between the parties to the conflict," he stressed. "This group held its regular meeting in Ankara recently, and it will continue to work in the future, including, I hope, on the sidelines of the Astana format meeting in Sochi on July 30-31."
Comment: That will be just a few weeks after Putin's meeting with Trump, during which they will discuss the situation in Syria. The Syrians are liberating southwestern Syria, the Americans aren't interfering, and the Israelis have so far refrained from their usual hysterical outbursts. But as the Syrians approach the Israeli-occupied Golan, that may change.
The American MSM is
reporting that Trump will try to "enlist Russia's help" to "oust Iran" from Syria. While Russia has influence with Syria, that is ultimately out of Russia's hands. It will be Syria's decision, and they're unlikely to ask their Iranian advisers to just leave. But the Iranians' presence in certain fronts (e.g., in the southwest) is arguably not necessary, and could be used as a bargaining chip. But the U.S. would have to give something in return. We'll just have to wait and see what if anything they offer.
Comment: That will be just a few weeks after Putin's meeting with Trump, during which they will discuss the situation in Syria. The Syrians are liberating southwestern Syria, the Americans aren't interfering, and the Israelis have so far refrained from their usual hysterical outbursts. But as the Syrians approach the Israeli-occupied Golan, that may change.
The American MSM is reporting that Trump will try to "enlist Russia's help" to "oust Iran" from Syria. While Russia has influence with Syria, that is ultimately out of Russia's hands. It will be Syria's decision, and they're unlikely to ask their Iranian advisers to just leave. But the Iranians' presence in certain fronts (e.g., in the southwest) is arguably not necessary, and could be used as a bargaining chip. But the U.S. would have to give something in return. We'll just have to wait and see what if anything they offer.