Paraskinio – issue 572, p. 52, Apr. 1, 2017

Last week, the fifth meeting of Geneva was held between representatives of the Syrian opposition and the Assad regime, in the presence of representatives of Russia and the United States. From the very first day it became clear that the atmosphere is not suitable for achieving a political solution to the crisis. Prior to this meeting, Astana’s third meeting took place, in which the Syrian opposition was not present because the Assad and Russia regimes did not comply with the ceasefire. The leaks from the United Nations confirm that UN envoy Staffan de Mistura will resign from office next month. This is a clear indication that the atmosphere is still not mature to come to a solution.

The Syrian Revolution enters its seventh year, amidst overlapping international intricacies. The international conflict between the superpowers on the Syrian soil is growing more and more. The big Middle East countries also considered the Syrian territory as appropriate to impose their hegemony. In addition, the crisis of terrorism with the emergence of the ISIS organization further internationalized the Syrian conflict.

Today, Syria from an independent state has been transformed into a state divided into zones of influence. The US has three military bases in, under the control of the Kurdish militias, the north-eastern part of the country. Russia has at least seven military bases, three on the Syrian coast, one in Palmyra, one in the city of Homs and one in the Damascus province, all in the areas controlled by the forces of the Assad regime. Turkey has also created two military bases in the area controlled by the “Shield of the Euphrates”. Britain has a military base in the south-east of the country on the Syrian-Jordan border, while Iran, in one way or another, has expanded its military bases in most of the areas under the regime’s control. Even the terrorist Hezbollah has two military bases at the Syrian-Lebanese border. With this setting, the complex picture is completed. Is there hope for a political solution to the Syrian crisis in the near future?

The solution to the Syrian crisis is absurd to assume any role of Assad after the crimes and the disaster it has committed. But it can not exist without the full consensus between the big countries, especially Russia and America. Russia, after the military intervention, is in a position to impose its opinion on Assad and Iran. The United States, which leads the Alliance Against Terrorism, is in a position to control the Syrian armed opposition and the countries that support it. Finding a political solution will not only help end the refugee that is plaguing neighboring countries in Syria and the EU, but also the terrorism of ISIS.