Media Review: Syrian opposition received Ukrainian support to undermine Russia and its allies

Media Review: Syrian opposition received Ukrainian support to undermine Russia and its allies

    Wednesday, December 11, 2024   No comments

The Washington Post reported that “the Syrian opposition that seized power in Damascus last weekend received drones and other support from Ukrainian intelligence agents who sought to undermine Russia and its Syrian allies,” according to sources familiar with Ukrainian military activities abroad.

The sources told the newspaper that “Ukrainian intelligence sent about 20 experienced drone operators and about 150 drones to the rebel headquarters in Idlib, Syria, four to five weeks ago to assist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.”

Western intelligence sources believe, according to the newspaper, that Kiev’s assistance played only a modest role in the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but it was notable as part of a broader Ukrainian effort to covertly strike Russian operations in the Middle East, Africa and inside Russia itself.

“Ukraine’s covert aid program in Syria was an open secret, though senior Biden administration officials have repeatedly said they were unaware of it,” she added. “The motivation behind it is clear: Facing a Russian onslaught inside their country, Ukrainian intelligence looked for other fronts where it could bloody Russia’s nose and undermine its clients.”

  

After the one-family rule collapses in Syria, Is Egypt's one man rule next?

After the one-family rule collapses in Syria, Is Egypt's one man rule next?

    Sunday, December 08, 2024   No comments

"Syria, Assad, wa-bass (and that is it), was no winning slogan. Future of country's cannot be built long-term on the basis of a single figure or a single family. What happened in Syria in the last 14 years is a good example of this political truith.

The fall of the single party single family rule in Syria has collapsed. Egypt's one man rule through the exclusion of any significant political force could put that regime on a path to weakness and possible collapse, too. These small steps by the government in Egypt may suggest their awareness of the dangers of exclusion.

Egypt's government releases political prisoners, Azhar welcomes the move

Al-Azhar welcomes Sisi’s directives to remove hundreds of people from terrorist lists and calls for investing in them and building on them.. A debate between those who welcome and those who are cautious and Amr Adeeb: Either us or the Brotherhood.

The repercussions of the decision to remove hundreds of Egyptians from terrorist lists are still ongoing, and no voice is louder than them.

The new thing was in the statement of the Grand Imam, Prof. Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, and his deep welcome of the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, which paved the way for removing hundreds of people from the terrorist lists, and giving them the opportunity to start a new page to live normally in their homeland and reunite their families, stressing that it represents a good step, and everyone must invest in it and build on it; for the benefit of our beloved country, calling on God Almighty to preserve our Egypt, and protect it from all harm and evil.

Al-Azhar's statement was met with varying opinions, between those who welcomed it and those who expressed reservations about it.

These developments cannot be understood in isolation from what has been happening in Syria. Arab rulers and governments of neighboring countries are fact-spinning the development to limit their wider effects.

Of note, Egyptian media reported that security forces arrested a group of Syrians in Egypt after they participated in celebrations of the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Turkey's Fidan: The Syrian opposition must unite and form a new, non-exclusionary administration

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed that "the new Syria should not pose a threat to its neighbors, but should eliminate threats."

Fidan called from Doha for "establishing a new Syrian administration that is non-exclusionary and without a desire for revenge", and for preserving Syrian institutions, and also called for "the opposition forces to unite."

He pointed out that "the Syrian opposition forces consist of different groups, but the coordination mechanism will improve in the coming days."

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that “a 14-year era of instability in Syria has ended,” noting that “Ankara does not know anything about the fate of President Bashar al-Assad.” Fidan revealed in a press conference held today that “the Syrian regime could have taken advantage of the opportunity of the Astana talks to reach national reconciliation, but it did not want to,” noting that “President Recep Tayyip Erdogan extended his hand to achieve unity in Syria, but the Syrian regime refused.” At the same time, Fidan expressed his country’s concern about “organizations such as ISIS that may exploit these developments in Syria, and Turkey is closely monitoring them to ensure that they do not control any parts of Syria in any way, and we are coordinating with friends such as the United States in this regard.” Regarding the Kurdistan Workers' Party, Fidan said, "Any extension or expansion of the Kurdistan Workers' Party militia cannot be considered a legitimate entity in Syria, and America is aware of the sensitivity of our position towards it." He continued, "The PKK cannot be part of the Syrian opposition and factions, because they are not Syrian factions, but terrorist factions, and everyone knows that, so there will be no cooperation with them at all." He stressed that "Turkey will take appropriate measures towards any threats."

Iran calls for Syria's fate to be determined and a government formed "without foreign interference"

Iran called for "determining the fate" of Syria's future, and forming an inclusive government that represents all segments of the Syrian people, "without destructive foreign interference or external imposition," stressing that it is "the exclusive right of the Syrians."

The Iranian Foreign Ministry indicated that it will closely monitor developments in Syria and the region, and will take appropriate positions based on the ongoing analysis of the performance of influential players in the Syrian political and security arena.

It also stressed respect for Syria's unity, governance, and territorial integrity, pointing to supporting Syria's stability and security through cooperation with all active parties in the region.

It explained that achieving stability "requires ending military conflicts quickly, preventing terrorist acts, and starting national dialogues with the participation of all components of society, with the aim of forming an inclusive government that represents all segments of the Syrian people."

The Iranian statement also stressed the importance of ensuring the security of Syrian citizens and nationals of other countries, and protecting holy and diplomatic sites in accordance with international laws.

Iran affirmed its continued support for the United Nations mechanisms, under Resolution 2254, to support the political process in Syria.

It also expressed its keenness to continue historical relations and friendship with Syria on the basis of common interests and commitment to international conventions.

Iranian Ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, said that "the Israeli Prime Minister is now expressing his happiness at the removal of one of his enemies," but he pointed out Benjamin Netanyahu's concern that the new forces "may pose an additional threat to him."

Akbari said in a live televised call with state television that "the Syrian Council of Ministers decided in its session last night to avoid any confrontations in Damascus and to hand over power and government peacefully, which was confirmed by the Syrian Prime Minister in a statement addressed to the people and the armed forces."

He added: "Bashar al-Assad's crime was his support for the axis of resistance, and today there are multiple currents inside Syria, some of which are extremist, even if they differ from (ISIS) in some beliefs."

Akbari pointed out that "the current situation in Syria has produced complex alignments between the northern and southern forces, which may turn the country into an arena for conflict between some Arab and Islamic countries and Turkey."

Akbari continued that "Netanyahu considers this a personal gain for him, but at the same time he is concerned that the stability and strength of the new forces in Syria may pose an additional threat to him."

Akbari explained that “these concerns stem from the lack of guarantees for the establishment of a strong and disciplined government in Syria, and from ethnic and ideological divisions, in addition to the possibility of Syria turning into an arena for conflict between regional countries.” He added: “These conditions may destabilize the central government and create cross-border threats.”

Pentagon official: Our presence in eastern Syria is to prevent the return of ISIS

A Pentagon official said that "the presence of US forces in eastern Syria is not related to other aspects of the conflict in the country," stressing "continuing to take the necessary measures to defend our forces and our partners" and to maintain this presence "which aims only to ensure the sustainability of the defeat of ISIS and prevent its resurgence." In an interview with Reuters today, he called on all parties in Syria to "protect civilians, especially minorities, respect international standards and work to reach a comprehensive political settlement," stressing the continuation of "close consultations with partners in the region affected by this crisis to support their security needs."

Statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry: 

'We are following the dramatic events in Syria with extreme concern. As a result of negotiations between Bashar al-Assad and a number of participants in the armed conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to leave the presidential post and left the country, giving instructions to transfer power peacefully

Russia did not participate in these negotiations. At the same time, we appeal to all parties involved with a strong call to renounce the use of violence and resolve all governance issues by political means.

In this regard, the Russian Federation is in contact with all groups of the Syrian opposition. We call for respect for the opinions of all ethno-confessional forces of Syrian society, and support efforts to establish an inclusive political process based on the unanimously adopted UN Security Council Resolution 2254. 

We expect that these approaches will be taken into account by the UN and all interested players, including in the context of the implementation of the initiative of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Syria, Georg Pedersen, to urgently organize inter-Syrian inclusive negotiations in Geneva.

At the same time, all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of our citizens in Syria. Russian military bases in Syria are on high alert. There is currently no serious threat to their security.'

Statement by some Arab leaders meeting in Doha

Future of Syria based on post-Assad Syria: Kurds, Islamist, and everyone else

The bigger picture: how (in)stability in Syria could impact a region with uneasy borders

Syria and the "Arab Spring" 2.0

Syria and the "Arab Spring" 2.0

    Friday, December 06, 2024   No comments

The popular uprising that broke in the Southwest Asian and North African, SWANA, in 2011, that transformed the region was frozen ten years later, especially in Syria and Yemen. Syria, after ten years of war, saw some calm since 2021, with the country still divided into three areas of control: one under "Sunni" rebels supported by Turkey and Qatar controlling the northwest, a second under Kurdish control in the northeast supported by the US, and the rest of Syria controlled by the Syrian government supported by Russia and Iran. On November 27 of this year, the calm was shattered when the Turkish backed armed groups regained major cities they lost in 2017-19. The crisis is unlikely to be resolved short of outside strong intervention, which is also unlikely, given that the outside actors are now busy dealing with new crises centers. So, for the foreseeable future, there are two possible paths forward. The various faction will continue to fight, but unlikely that one will prevail over the other two. Alternatively, a reshuffle of the alliances internally will consolidate some power leading to a stalemate, which will force all three sides to negotiate a deal that preserve the gains and interests of all ethnic, religious, sectarian, and ideological groups. That seem to be the realization of some world and regional powers, though not all think they have to give anything to dial down violence.

Erdogan: We hope that the Syrian "opposition" factions will continue their progress.. and the goal is Damascus

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hopes that the progress of what he called the "opposition" in Syria will continue "without problems," considering that the next "target" after the armed factions took control of Idlib, Hama and Homs, "is Damascus."

Erdogan's words came in press statements, and he added: "We had invited Assad (Syrian President Bashar al-Assad)... and we told him: Let us determine the future of Syria together. Unfortunately, we did not receive a positive response on this issue."

Recently, Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations, Qusay al-Dahhak, confirmed that the terrorist attack on northern Syria could not have been carried out without a green light and a joint Turkish-Israeli operational order paved by repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also confirmed his country's insistence on eradicating terrorism, stressing that terrorists do not represent a people or institutions, but rather the apparatuses that support them.

Foreign Ministers of Iraq, Syria and Iran: Protecting Syria's Security is Necessary to Protect the Security of the Region

The foreign ministers of Iraq, Syria and Iran stressed on Friday that "threatening Syria's security poses a general danger to the stability of the entire region," stressing that "there is no choice but to coordinate, cooperate and consult diplomatically continuously, in order to eliminate all risks of escalation in the region."

In a joint statement following the meeting at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, the ministers stressed "the seriousness of the events in Syria and their sensitivity to all parties in the region," warning of "the possibility of their expanding dimensions, which will pose a grave danger to the three countries and threaten the security of their peoples and the entire region."

The ministers also urged "the need to mobilize all Arab, regional and international efforts to reach peaceful solutions to the challenges facing the region in general, and Syria in particular."

In addition, the statement stressed "the agreement on the need to continue consultation and coordination between the three countries, follow up on these developments and prepare for any developments in the coming days," and respect for Syria's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.

They also condemned "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations classified by the Security Council," stressing "collective action to confront it." They also condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on Syria, Gaza and Lebanon.

Syria's Assad: Ready to meet Erdogan if it serves Syria's interest

Syria's Assad: Ready to meet Erdogan if it serves Syria's interest

    Monday, July 15, 2024   No comments

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad confirmed on Monday that he is ready to meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "if the meeting serves the country's interest."

Speaking about the return of relations with Turkey, following his vote today in the legislative elections, President al-Assad said: "If meeting President Erdogan leads to results, or if hugging or reprimanding serves the country's interest, then I will do it."

He explained that "the problem does not lie in the meeting, but in its content," noting that proposing the meeting "may be important, as it is a means to achieve a goal, but we have not heard what the goal is, and what the solution to the problem is."

President al-Assad added that "the first question we ask is why have relations deviated from their natural course for 13 years?", noting that "he has not heard any Turkish official speak about this point, in an explicit manner."

In this context, President Assad stressed that the meeting is "a means, and the means need rules and references for work," adding that "the failure of this means at some point may make us go in a worse direction, and pay a higher price."

At the same time, he stressed the positive spirit towards any initiative to improve the relationship, saying that this is "the natural thing, no one thinks of creating problems with his neighbors," but that "does not mean going without rules."

He added: "In any potential meeting, we will ask what its reference is. Will this reference be the cancellation or termination of the causes of the problem, which are represented by supporting terrorism, and withdrawing from Syrian territory?", stressing that this "is the essence of the problem, and there is no other reason."

President Assad said that "if there is no discussion about this essence, then what does the meeting mean?", noting that Syria "seeks to work that achieves results, as it is not against any procedure or meeting, but what is important is that it leads to positive results that achieve the interests of Syria and Turkey, at the same time."

He stressed that "any meeting that will take place with the Turkish side will be announced, there is nothing secret," adding that "Syria insisted that the meeting is necessary, regardless of the level, and the talk here is not about a meeting between two presidents."

President Assad pointed out that "the meetings have not stopped, but are ongoing," revealing that "there is a meeting being arranged at the security level by some mediators, and we were positive in this regard."

Assad explained that "the term normalization of relations with Turkey is a mistake. Normalization of relations with a country is a coercive process that aims to impose normal relations that do not exist," while "we are talking about a neighboring country, and we have relations that date back centuries, which means that relations must be normal."

He added: "If we want to reach normal relations, and this is what we seek in Syria, can the occupation and support for terrorism be part of normal relations between countries?" Assad replied that this is "of course impossible."

Accordingly, President Assad stressed the necessity of "withdrawing all that is abnormal in this scene" in order to talk about "normal relations between Syria and Turkey."

He stressed that "relations will be normal when the abnormal matters are withdrawn without normalization or coercive measures, and without the opinion of governments," so that "these relations will proceed in their natural form in the direction of returning to what they were before the war," especially since normal relations "have proven that they lead to protecting the borders that Turkish officials are talking about, as was the case previously."

In this context, President Assad explained that "friends are fully aware of these facts, and they have known this position since the first initiative that took place 5 years ago."

He explained that "talking about initiatives is new, but the beginning of the initiatives was 5 years ago, and during that time we repeated the same position: remove the reasons for the results to appear," adding that the matter "does not need political and media tactics and acrobatics."

He said that "Syria's friends sometimes demand some measures that are open to dialogue and discussion, but measures are one thing, and bypassing the principle is another," stressing that "we cannot bypass the principles on which we build our national interests."

President Assad added that "no guarantees have been provided to Syria so far," and "we are proceeding in a positive manner, but based on clear principles, based on the principles of international law and sovereignty."

The Syrian president stressed that "if positive results are not achieved, the results will be negative, in this case, either we win or we lose, we, Turkey and the allies", meaning that "everyone wins or everyone loses, there is no middle ground".

President Assad's statements come at a time when official Turkish statements regarding developments in relations with Syria are continuing.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed earlier that he had issued directives to Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to meet with President Assad and "begin restoring relations between the two countries".

In a press conference on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the US capital, Washington, the Turkish president revealed that Fidan is authorized to organize a meeting with President Assad in a third country.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced on Friday evening that an initial agreement had been reached with Syria and Turkey regarding holding a meeting that would bring together officials from the two countries in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Hussein said, in statements from Washington, that "there is communication at the level of the Iraqi leadership with the Syrian and Turkish sides, and the date will be determined after returning to Baghdad."

Turkish President announces readiness to extend an invitation to President Assad

Turkish President announces readiness to extend an invitation to President Assad

    Sunday, July 07, 2024   No comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed on Sunday that "once Bashar al-Assad takes a step towards improving relations with Turkey, we will respond appropriately."

He continued in press statements: "We will extend our invitation to Assad, and with this invitation we want to return Turkish-Syrian relations to the same point they were in the past."

He added: "Our invitation can happen at any time."

The Turkish president added in his press statements: "Russian President Vladimir Putin has an approach regarding our meeting (with Assad) in Turkey, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has an approach. We are talking here about mediation, so what is wrong with it with our neighbor?"

On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that he could, in cooperation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, "extend an invitation" to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to start a new process of normalizing relations with Syria.

"I already said on Friday (last), after the Friday prayers, that we can start a new process (of normalizing relations) with Syria. We can invite Mr. Assad with Mr. Putin," Erdogan told reporters upon his arrival from Astana.

Erdogan added that Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to Turkey could be the beginning of a new process of normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus.

He commented: "If our honorable Mr. Putin can visit Turkey, this could be the beginning of a new process (of normalizing relations between Turkey and Syria). All the years that have passed in the Syrian arena have clearly shown everyone that it is necessary to create a mechanism for a permanent settlement. Syria, whose infrastructure has been destroyed and whose people have been scattered, must stand on its own feet and end the instability. The recent calm in this area can open the door to peace if wise policies and an approach to solving problems are adopted without bias."

Commenting on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's statements about normalizing relations between Syria and Turkey last week, Erdogan said that "there are no reasons not to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries," and according to him, "Ankara does not aim to interfere in Damascus' internal affairs." Assad had stated on June 26, during a meeting with the Russian President's special representative, Alexander Lavrentiev, that "Syria is open to all initiatives related to its relations with Turkey, which are based on respect for the country's sovereignty."

Previously, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad confirmed Syria's openness to all initiatives related to the relationship between Syria and Turkey, based on "the sovereignty of the Syrian state over all its territories on the one hand, and the fight against all forms of terrorism and its organizations on the other hand."

The Syrian presidency stated in a statement on its Telegram channel that "President al-Assad confirmed during his meeting with the special envoy of the Russian President, Alexander Lavrentiev, Syria's openness to all initiatives related to the relationship between Syria and Turkey, based on the sovereignty of the Syrian state over all its territories on the one hand, and the fight against all forms of terrorism and its organizations on the other hand, stressing that these initiatives reflect the will of the countries concerned to establish stability in Syria and the region in general."

Earlier, a Turkish newspaper reported, citing sources, that military delegations from Turkey and Syria, with Russian mediation, held talks at the Hmeimim air base, and another meeting is expected to be held in Baghdad.

The newspaper said: "In this regard, a meeting of military officials from the Turkish Armed Forces and the Syrian army was held at the Russian Hmeimim Air Base southeast of Latakia on June 11," and stated that "the meeting discussed the latest developments in and around Idlib province."

The first meeting of the foreign ministers of the four countries (Russia, Turkey, Iran, Syria) was held in Moscow on May 10, 2023. Based on its results, the ministers ordered the preparation of a draft roadmap for normalizing relations between Turkey and Syria.

Earlier, the Russian President's Special Representative for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, stated in an interview with Sputnik that Moscow had handed Ankara and Damascus a draft roadmap for normalizing relations between the two sides, indicating that they could make amendments to it.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has previously identified priority topics in the roadmap, which include restoring Syrian government control over all parts of the country, ensuring the security of the Syrian-Turkish border, and eliminating the possibility of cross-border attacks and terrorist infiltration.

The Syrian and Chinese presidents sign a strategic cooperation agreement

The Syrian and Chinese presidents sign a strategic cooperation agreement

    Friday, September 22, 2023   No comments

On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad signed the Syrian-Chinese strategic cooperation agreement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that Beijing is ready to develop cooperation with Syria and jointly defend international justice under conditions of instability.

During his meeting with his Syrian counterpart, in the Chinese city of Khanzhou, Xi said that China and Syria are moving towards announcing the establishment of strategic partnership relations, adding that this will be an important turning point in the history of bilateral relations in the face of unstable international situations.

Xi confirmed that Syria is one of the first countries to establish relations with the new China, adding that it was one of the countries that proposed a draft resolution to restore China's seat in the United Nations.

The Chinese President stressed that Syrian-Chinese relations have withstood changes in international situations for 67 years, and the friendship between the two countries remains solid over time.

The Chinese President also announced his country's keenness to continuously make joint efforts to exchange firm support between the two countries and enhance cooperation between them to defend international justice and peace.

In turn, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated that his country looks forward to China's constructive role in the international arena and rejects all attempts to weaken this role.

Al-Assad expressed his happiness at visiting China, which stands with the just causes of peoples, based on the legal, humanitarian and moral principles that form the basis of Chinese policy in international forums and which are based on the independence of countries and respect for the will of the people.

Al-Assad pointed out that this visit is important in its timing and circumstances, as a multipolar world is forming today that will restore balance and stability to the world, and it is the duty of all of us to seize this moment for the sake of a bright and promising future.

The Syrian President thanked President Xi and the Chinese government for what it did to stand by the Syrian people in their cause and suffering, wishing the Chinese people more scientific, civilizational and humanitarian victories.

Yesterday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in a press conference: “We believe that President Bashar al-Assad’s visit will lead to a deepening of mutual political trust and cooperation in various fields between the two countries, and the advancement of bilateral relations to new heights.”

The Syrian President arrived at Khanzhou Airport in China yesterday, Thursday, in his first official visit to the country in nearly two decades, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

In 2021, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Damascus on an official visit to enhance cooperation between China and Syria. This was the first visit by a high-ranking Chinese official since the start of the war on Syria.

Chinese media. often reflecting the thinking of Chinese leaders, suggest that China's investment in Syria is likely to be in transportation and other infrastructure projects and that such investments will be protected from Western sanctions by using yuan for related transaction.

UK’s Special Forces have been deployed operationally in at least 19 countries since 2011, including the Muslim-majority countries of Algeria, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen

UK’s Special Forces have been deployed operationally in at least 19 countries since 2011, including the Muslim-majority countries of Algeria, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen

    Tuesday, May 23, 2023   No comments

Mapping of national and international credible newspapers, undertaken by research charity Action on Armed Violence, shows that, since 2011,  UK Special Forces (UKSF) have been primed to contact or surveil hostile forces in Algeria, Estonia, France, Iran/Oman (Strait of Hormuz), Iraq, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mediterranean (Cyprus), Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.

There are a further six sites where UKSF have trained foreign forces or where they have based themselves before launching into another country. These are: Burkina Faso, Oman, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Djibouti. There are also another seven locations, not included in the above lists, known to be used by UKSF for their own exercises and engagements. These are: Albania, Falklands, Gibraltar, Belize, Brunei, Malaysia, and Canada, although there are likely to be far more.

In addition, the UKSF operate in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These four countries are not included.

If all countries where the UK SF were reported operational (including training and in the UK itself) were added together, there would be 36 nations where such troops have been sent.

Reported UK Special Forces (UKSF) missions in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman and Libya demonstrate that British soldiers are regularly sent to engage in international conflicts without any parliamentary approval around UK involvement beforehand.

In the case of Syria, parliament explicitly voted against sending in troops in 2013. Yet there have been dozens of UKSF missions reported in the press in the past decade.

A decade of operations around the globe has thrown up some controversies.

Did Syria return to the Arab League or did the Arab League return to Syria?

Did Syria return to the Arab League or did the Arab League return to Syria?

    Sunday, May 07, 2023   No comments

After a long absence for years, Syria regained its seat in the League of Arab States, after an extraordinary meeting held by the Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers in Cairo.

The League of Arab States decided to resume the participation of the Syrian government delegations in its meetings, and all its affiliated organizations and agencies, as of May 7, 2023.

It also called for the need to take practical and effective steps to gradually resolve the crisis according to the principle of step by step, in line with Security Council Resolution No. 2254 to continue efforts that allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to all those in need in Syria.

It also demanded the formation of a ministerial liaison committee consisting of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt and the Secretary-General of the League, to follow up on the implementation of the Amman Agreement, and to continue direct dialogue with Damascus to reach a comprehensive solution to the crisis that addresses all its consequences.

In turn, Damascus received with interest the decision issued by the Arab League meeting, and stressed that the positive interactions currently taking place in the Arab region are in the interest of all Arab countries, and in the interest of achieving stability, security and prosperity for their peoples.

The return of Syria is a political necessity imposed by reality

The League of Arab States suspended Damascus' membership in November 2011 with the approval of 18 countries, and three countries objected: Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Iraq abstained from voting at the time, and the Arab countries imposed political and economic sanctions on Damascus at the time, following Syria's stances towards the war imposed on it.

Several countries, especially during the first years of the war, provided support to the armed opposition. Even during an Arab summit in Doha in 2013, a delegation from the Syrian opposition coalition participated, for once, as a “representative” of the Syrian people.

Today, with the victory of Syria and the recovery of most of its lands with the support of regional and international allies, and the failure of the opposition to manage the Syrian file at all levels, as the opposition parties managed the files based on their narrow interests.

Likewise, the international community, led by the United States of America, failed to overthrow the government in Syria, as the Syrian crisis has become one of the most difficult foreign files for the American administrations (Obama, Trump and Biden administrations).

Earlier, the Lebanese newspaper, Al-Akhbar, reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Arab leaders and mediators, saying that "Damascus is the one who has the right to forgive countries and groups that were major parties in the war and partners in Arab bloodshed. It would be wrong for anyone to think about Syria is ready to talk to any country about its internal situation, as there is no room for any negotiation on the internal Syrian issue.

Today, the decision of the League of Arab States came to end the failed attempts to isolate Syria, based on the political necessity that was enshrined in the changing reality, especially that Syria is today looking forward to rebuilding what was destroyed by the war.

The path of Arab openness

With the change in field equations, since 2018, indications of Arab openness, albeit slowly, towards Syria have emerged, beginning with the reopening of the UAE embassy in Damascus.

However, it seems that the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and neighboring Turkey in February 2023 accelerated the process of resuming the regional relations with Damascus, as Assad received a flood of contacts and aid from several Arab countries, even Saudi Arabia and the UAE sent aid planes, which was the first of its kind. Since cutting ties with Damascus.

Last March, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman to enhance cooperation and coordination to serve stability and development in the region.

Shortly thereafter, Riyadh announced in March that it was in talks with Damascus about resuming consular services.

On April 18, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met the Syrian president during the first official Saudi visit to Damascus since the boycott.

Also during the month of April, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad visited several Arab countries, including Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, Algeria and Saudi Arabia. During the tour, Tunisia announced the resumption of relations with Damascus.

Likewise, Jordan hosted a meeting of the foreign ministers of Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt at the beginning of the week, and it was agreed to "support Syria and its institutions in any legitimate efforts to extend its control over its lands."

The return of Syria comes after developments in the Arab and regional scene

Regarding the political changes that took place that prompted the Arabs to return to Syria, the deputy director of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Ayman Abdel-Wahhab, told Al-Mayadeen Net that Syria's return to the League of Arab States can be read within the framework of developments in the general Arab and regional scene, and specifically it is possible to talk about the Saudi rapprochement file - Iran, developments in the internal field situation in Syria, as well as growing indications of the importance of Syria's Arab embrace.

Abdel Wahhab pointed out that the growing visions of many influential regional powers with Arab weight regarding the importance of Syria's return to the League of Arab States does not negate the existence of some reservations from some Arab parties to this return.

He pointed out that "Syria's return to the Arab arena will represent an important factor in the balance of power, and in favoring some political indicators concerned with increasing the areas of inter-Arab interaction and cooperation.

The Arab parties will gradually return to Syria

As for how to translate the return of Syria from a political point of view to the Arab arena, Ayman Abdel Wahhab said that the return of Syria will be reflected in a positive direction for some Arab forces that support the concept of the national state and promote stability in the region.

In March 2013, Qatar invited an opposition figure
to take Syria's seat at the Arab League Summit.

Abdel Wahhab explained that a number of Arab parties will gradually return to Syria, especially with the return of stability and Syrian interaction with Arab issues.

He pointed out that Syria has a strategic weight equal to that of Iraq and Egypt, and this will greatly help in presenting some issues from a different perspective, and will be reflected in many files in the region.

Washington does not welcome the return of Syria

Today, the US State Department stated that "Damascus does not deserve to regain its seat in the League of Arab States at this stage," commenting on the League's decision to end the suspension of Syria's membership in it and to resume the participation of its delegations.

Regarding the American position, Ayman Abdel Wahhab, deputy director of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said that the American reservations will remain, at least in the early stages, as Washington is not welcome to return.

Abdel Wahhab added that the entanglement of the situation in Syria has repercussions, whether in the direction of "Israel", or even with regard to the Russian presence and its association, albeit indirectly, with the Ukrainian file.

And he added, "The Israeli intervention, whether in the Syrian or Ukrainian file, has intersections that may seem indirect, but in reality it will be reflected on the nature of Russian-Israeli relations on the one hand, and on the position of the major powers on the Syrian file, especially in light of the region's re-engineering at this time." ".

The Arab countries have no choice but to return to Syria, as the journey of its isolation that began in 2011 ended in failure. Those who wanted to pay Syria a price for resuming contact with it returned to resuming relations with it. President al-Assad told all the Arab officials he met that he was not in a hurry to return to the university. Arab, but he is ready to regulate bilateral relations with Arab countries without any conditions.

Bloomberg: The Arab League's decision regarding Syria reflects the decline of American influence

The American agency "Bloomberg" said that the Arab League's decision to ignore American reservations about Syria's restoration of its seat reflects the decline of America's influence in the region.

In a report published earlier today, the agency indicated a growing willingness among allies to forge their own political path and build stronger strategic relations with US opponents.

Hours ago, the US State Department stated that Washington "understands that the partners are seeking direct contact with the Syrian president to put more pressure towards a solution to the Syrian crisis."

The agency also indicated that what happened "may also be a victory for Iran and Russia, which have supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad militarily but need regional assistance to rehabilitate him diplomatically, and ultimately help rebuild a war-torn country that has displaced millions."

The Wall Street Journal: The Arab decision on Syria represents a rejection of Washington's interests

The American Wall Street Journal reported, on Sunday, that "the decision to return Syria to the Arab League represents a rejection of US interests in the region."

The newspaper said that the Arab leaders agreed to "return Syria to the League of Arab States after more than a decade of isolation," explaining that this matter complicates the American efforts to isolate Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and indicates the decline of American influence in the Middle East.

"This decision also shows that Middle Eastern countries are formulating policies independent of Western concerns," it added.

Qatar acknowledges that it is vetoing Syria's return to the Arab League

Qatar acknowledges that it is vetoing Syria's return to the Arab League

    Wednesday, March 29, 2023   No comments

Qatar affirmed that it has not changed its position on the move to return Syria to the Arab League, noting that it “will not normalize relations with the Syrian regime until the reasons that called for boycotting it are gone.”

Yesterday, Tuesday, the official spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majid Al-Ansari, said that “there is still no Arab consensus on the return of the Syrian regime to the Arab League, and the State of Qatar deals with this issue as one of the priorities of Arab issues, so the Arab consensus in it is of interest, and even There is this consensus, which comes as a result of positive developments on the Syrian scene that we do not see before us.

Al-Ansari stressed the “steadfastness of the Qatari position,” saying, “We believe that there will be no change in the Qatari position. Our position is clear and stable and is not affected by what is going on in the scene unless there are real developments inside Syria in a way that satisfies the aspirations of the Syrian people, or there is a built Arab consensus.” On these positive developments inside Syria, but at the present time there is no reason for optimism about the nearness of normalization with the Syrian regime and its return to the Arab League.

He affirmed Qatar's welcome and support for Arab efforts in the framework of finding a solution to the Syrian crisis, stressing that this solution must be based on positive developments and a real response to popular demands, and that there should be no "betrayal of bloodshed" to achieve these aspirations, he said.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrives in the UAE on a surprise official visit, and meets his Emirati counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrives in the UAE on a surprise official visit, and meets his Emirati counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

    Sunday, March 19, 2023   No comments

Today, Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in the UAE on an official visit, where he met his Emirati counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The Syrian presidency stated, in a statement, that President al-Assad arrived "this afternoon in the United Arab Emirates on an official visit, during which he is accompanied by First Lady Asma al-Assad."

She added, "He was received upon his arrival at the presidential airport in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates," noting that they went to the Al-Watan Palace in the capital, Abu Dhabi, to start the talks.

In turn, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed said, "We held constructive talks with the Syrian president to support and develop brotherly relations for the benefit of the two countries."

"We are working to strengthen cooperation and coordination with Damascus on issues that serve stability and development," Mohammed bin Zayed added.

The delegation of the accompanying Syrian president included Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Samer Khalil, Minister of Presidential Affairs Mansour Azzam, Minister of Information Boutros Hallaq, Assistant Foreign Minister Ayman Sousan, and Chargé d'Affaires of the Syrian Embassy in Abu Dhabi Ghassan Abbas.

It is noteworthy that the Emirati Foreign Minister, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited the Syrian capital, Damascus, on the 12th of last February, in the first visit by a prominent foreign official, in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck the north of the country on the 6th of the same month.

Turkey's ruling party considers Assad's conditions to meet Erdogan "inappropriate"

Turkey's ruling party considers Assad's conditions to meet Erdogan "inappropriate"

    Friday, March 17, 2023   No comments

A member of the Central Decision and Implementation Authority of the Turkish "Justice and Development" Party, Orhan Miri Oglu, confirmed today, Friday, that Damascus' conditions regarding negotiations between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are "inappropriate" to normalize relations between the two countries, pointing to the possibility of holding a meeting between them after the elections. Turkish presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for May 14.

"Al-Assad demands Turkey to withdraw from Syrian territory as a condition for normalizing relations with Turkey. It is not permissible to raise the ceiling of demands in diplomatic relations with the start of the talks if the negotiating parties intend to reconcile, understand and find a solution to the differences," Merioglu said in an interview with "Sputnik" agency.

He continued, "Al-Assad's start to set preconditions for talks with Turkey gives the latter the right to demand that Damascus stop supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces."

He added, "The possibility of a meeting between Erdogan and Assad before the Turkish elections is very low. As for their meeting after the elections, it will become clear according to the results and balances of the elections."

Yesterday, Thursday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said from Russia that "there is no disagreement between the Syrian and Turkish peoples, and the problem lies in the private ambitions of Turkish politicians."

Commenting on the possibility of meeting Erdogan, al-Assad affirmed that the priority is in "the withdrawal of illegal foreign forces, i.e. Turkish and American," noting that "Erdogan's priority is the elections and nothing else. As for Syria, the priority is the withdrawal and restoration of sovereignty."

And the Syrian president added that if the conditions are met, "there is no specific date for Erdogan's meeting, it may be today or tomorrow, and the timing is not a problem."

Last November, Erdogan hinted at the possibility of reconsidering relations with Damascus after the 2023 elections in Turkey, saying: "We can reconsider our relations with the countries with which we face problems, after the elections."

Likewise, the Turkish president said that he is "ready to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad when the time comes," and he confirmed earlier that "low-level talks with the Syrian side are still on the way."

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad: will not meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, unless Turkey withdraws its forces from northern Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad: will not meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, unless Turkey withdraws its forces from northern Syria

    Thursday, March 16, 2023   No comments

Hours after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced that he will not meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, unless Turkey withdraws its forces from northern Syria, Turkish officials called off a low level meeting among representives of the four states, Iran, Russia, Turkiye, and Syria. 

The Syrian president announced that he will not meet with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, unless Turkey withdraws its forces from northern Syria.

Assad said that "(any assembly) is related to reaching the stage of Turkey's formation, in which it is clearly and without any ambiguity ready for the complete withdrawal from Syrian territory".

The Syrian president added that Turkey has "stopped supporting terrorism", referring to the militant groups that control the northern regions of Syria, some of which receive training and support from Turkey.

Assad added: "This is the only situation in which there can be a meeting between Erdoğan and Erdoğan."

He added questioningly: "Other than that, what is the value of the meeting if it does not achieve final results for the war in Syria?"

A source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the meeting of deputy foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria, which was scheduled for this week, has been postponed to a date yet to be determined.

And the source said that the meeting was postponed "for technical reasons", I don't know the details.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had mentioned last week that the deputy foreign ministers of the four countries will meet this week in Moscow before scheduled talks between the foreign ministers at a later date in order to resolve the crisis in Syria.

Cavishoglu said, after meeting Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian last week, that Iran expressed its desire to join the talks between Turkey, Syria and Russia, and that Turkey agreed to it.

In this context, the Turkish Anatolia Agency pointed out that the meeting of deputy ministers would be held on March 15 and 16.

Turkey has troops in Syria and continues to supports and/or supplies armed groups controlled the northwest of Syria and a strip in the north, the rest of the territories outside the government control remain under the US and Kurdish forces; as the map below shows.

From the humanitarian gate, Egypt moved towards raising the level of its relationship with Syria

From the humanitarian gate, Egypt moved towards raising the level of its relationship with Syria

    Monday, February 27, 2023   No comments

In a development that opens a new chapter in Syrian-Egyptian relations, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, was a guest in Damascus, where he met with his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Al-Miqdad, and President Bashar Al-Assad, in a visit that is the first of its kind for a high-ranking Egyptian diplomatic official to Syria. Since 2011. The visit, which Shoukry tried to humanize, by confirming more than once that he came to announce his country’s solidarity with Syria against the background of the devastating earthquake that struck the country on the sixth of last February, coincides with an Arab movement on several levels, in which both The UAE and the Sultanate of Oman played a prominent role in converging points of view and reaching a suitable formula for all parties through which Damascus would return to playing its strategic role, especially after the crisis reached a state of intractability resulting from the failure of all attempts to change the regime in Syria.

During his meeting with al-Assad, the Egyptian minister conveyed a message from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in which the latter affirmed Egypt's solidarity with Syria, its willingness to continue supporting the Syrians in facing the effects of the earthquake, his pride in the historical relations between the two countries, and Cairo's keenness to strengthen these relations and develop joint cooperation. Al-Assad responded by thanking the Egyptian guest, and expressing Syria's keenness on relations with Egypt "within the natural and historical context," considering that "work to improve relations between Arab countries on a bilateral basis is the basis for improving the Arab situation in general." The visit of Ras Haram, the Egyptian diplomat, to Damascus comes to revive historical ties between the two countries, after a rupture that began in 2011, and reached its climax during the assumption of the “Muslim Brotherhood” to rule Egypt under the leadership of the late Mohamed Morsi, who announced in June 2013 that his country had officially cut ties with Damascus. And joining the anti-Syrian government coalition, embracing the activity of a section of the Syrian opposition, and calling for an air embargo on Syria. Several Egyptian sources narrate that the position of the Egyptian army, which was led at that time by Sisi, who held the position of Minister of Defense at the time, remained opposed to Morsi’s position, which was confirmed by the late Egyptian writer, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, during a television interview, during which he stated that the Egyptian army rejected the policy of The late president, but the latter continued it.

After the collapse of the “Brotherhood” government, and the rise of Sisi to power, relations partially restored between the two countries, which was explicitly announced by the Egyptian president during a visit he made shortly after assuming power to the United States in 2014, where he referred to the strength of the ties that unite the armies of the two countries, and stressed that the unity of Syria It is considered part of the Egyptian national security. However, the ties did not rise to high levels, but rather were limited to the scope of security meetings, before the meeting that brought together the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Al-Miqdad, with his Egyptian counterpart in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in 2021, which constituted a milestone. In addition to close security and military cooperation, Syrian investors who transferred their investments from Syria to Egypt during the war played a prominent role in strengthening relations between the two countries, after the volume of those investments amounted to about $23 billion.

Syria has expressed, many times, during statements made by Al-Assad and Al-Miqdad, its understanding of the position of some countries that communicate with Syria in private due to Western and American pressures. Big "opening" steps. However, these circumstances seem to have begun to transform during the past few months, in light of several Arab initiatives led by Jordan, the Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman to break the political stalemate. The catastrophic repercussions of the earthquake provided an opportunity to move forward and open the door for Egypt, whose president, immediately after the disaster, initiated contact. Assad, and instructed to send aid by air and sea. At a time when there is talk in some Arab political circles of the existence of Saudi-Egyptian differences that could have constituted an additional motive for Cairo to take its broad step towards Damascus, the Arab moves indicate that the Egyptian openness falls within the framework of a broad Arab activity that does not exclude Riyadh, which the minister announced. Its foreign minister, Faisal bin Farhan, changed his country's position on Syria, stressing the need to communicate with Damascus, which he is expected to visit in the coming days.

Despite the continuous openness of Arab capitals to Damascus, whether before or after the earthquake, these steps face many obstacles and difficult tests, most notably the US position rejecting this normalization, and the threat of unilateral US sanctions imposed on Syria, in addition to Washington's possession of many pressure cards that may initiate use during the next period.

Al-Assad from Muscat: The region is now more in need of the role of the Sultanate of Oman

Al-Assad from Muscat: The region is now more in need of the role of the Sultanate of Oman

    Monday, February 20, 2023   No comments

Today, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a working visit to the Sultanate of Oman, where he was received at the Royal Private Airport by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Sultan of Oman.

Al-Assad and Bin Tariq held an official session of talks at Al-Baraka Al-Amer Palace in Muscat, in the presence of the two official delegations, where the latter renewed his condolences to President Al-Assad and the Syrian people for the victims of the devastating earthquake, stressing his country's continued support for Syria to overcome the effects of the earthquake and the repercussions of the war and the siege imposed on the Syrian people.

For his part, Al-Assad expressed his deep thanks to the Sultan, the government and the brotherly Omani people, for their solidarity and standing with Syria and for sending relief aid, noting that the greatest thanks is for Oman's standing by Damascus during the terrorist war against it.

The talks also dealt with the bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries, and the areas of joint cooperation, where it was agreed between the two sides to strengthen and advance bilateral cooperation in all fields, and Al-Assad indicated that Syria and Oman have relations of mutual trust and an old and deep understanding.

Al-Assad considered that Oman has always maintained its balanced policies and credibility, and that the region "now more needs the role of the Sultanate of Oman in serving the interests of its people in order to strengthen relations between Arab countries on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in the affairs of other countries."

For his part, Bin Tariq said that Syria is a brotherly Arab country, "and we look forward to its relations with all Arab countries returning to their natural context."

The official talks session was followed by a closed session of talks, then Al-Assad and his accompanying delegation left Muscat, concluding his working visit to the sisterly Sultanate of Oman. 

Erdogan's advisor: Turkiye needs full control over Syria's Aleppo to solve refugee issue

Erdogan's advisor: Turkiye needs full control over Syria's Aleppo to solve refugee issue

    Thursday, January 12, 2023   No comments

Erdogan’s desire to unload Syrian refugees and address the emerging autonomous Kurdish state along its border with Syria is forcing him to rush for a solution that would involve reconciliation with the Syrian government.

In the past few weeks alone, the Turkish leader sent out his defense minister and head of intelligence to meet their Syrian counterparts in Russia. Turkish leaders then announced plans to for the foreign ministers to meet soon to pave the way for a historical summit between Erdogan and Assad. All these changes are driven by Erdogan’s fear that economic hardships, volatile border with Syria, and large Syrian population in Turkey will limit his chances of winning another term and derail his party’s ambitions to keep a decisive plurality in the parliament.

However, given the role Erdogan played in supporting the Syrian armed factions who wanted, and still want, to overthrow the Syrian government, neither Assad is eager to meet him and many of his party leaders and advisors are unwilling to give up their dream of Syria controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies. This split among Turkey’s Islamists is reminding observers of their ideology-driven campaign to fuel a war in Syria designed to overthrow the government no matter what the human and economic costs. Nothing more telling of this ideological and sectarian impulse than the chain of events that lead to the recent revelations that Turkey should aim to control Aleppo and use it to resettle Syrian refugees instead of rebuilding the Syrian-Turkish relations to what it was before the so-called Arab Spring.

Immediately after the announcement of the expected meeting between the Syrian and Turkish foreign ministers, Qatar’s Aljazeera publishes a long piece by an Islamist commentator and professor at Qatar university floating the idea of Turkey’s control over Aleppo and rejecting Turkish reconciliation with the Syrian government. The article was picked by a long time advisor the Erdogan and his party and he made the same point an interview with a Turkish outlet. Given how skeptical the Syrian government is from this about-face from Erdogan, it can easily use this statement to cancel the proposed meeting and reject Erdogan’s courting of Assad.

Aware of the problem, it was revealed that the Turkish foreign minister was very upset with the advisor’s statements and perhaps that is what forced the advisor to appear on Arab media outlets and explain that what he said was a personal opinion based on an article that he read in the media (a clear reference to aljazeera’s piece).

These events revisit the events and actors that promoted and benefited the so-called Arab Spring, including the role of the Qatari government and its media influencer, Aljazeera, the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafism, and Turkey who wanted to create a middle east to their liking that resulted in destroyed communities in Syria, Libya, Yemen, and Iraq and the displacement of millions of people—in addition to the nearly one million people killed in these countries as a result of the geopolitical ambitions of Turkey, Qatar, UAE, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

______

Here are the background stories for this event:

With the opposition accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of not being serious in dealing with the Syrian file and developing an urgent plan for reconciliation with Damascus to return Syrian refugees to their country, Yasin Aktay's proposal, Erdogan's advisor, came to confirm the validity of doubts about the latter's intentions and accounts for Syria.

 

Aktay, who was a very close friend of the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, said, "To ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees to their country, the city of Aleppo must be placed under Turkish administration for a transitional period."

 

Aktay pointed out, in his interview with the pro-President Erdogan channel, "Olca", to "the importance of dialogue between Turkey and the Syrian regime." But thanks to the Iranian and Russian support, the Assad regime was able to control it, after carrying out very large massacres. And had it not been for Turkey's intervention at the time, the regime would have carried out bloody massacres greater than it."

 

He added, "Therefore, Turkey must have a role in achieving security in the city and its environs, so that we can return one and a half million, or even two million, refugees to the city voluntarily, which will not be achieved unless a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis is reached with the participation of the people." Syrian".

 

Aktay's speech aroused the interest of the media and social networks, which said that he revealed the true intentions of President Erdogan by inviting President Putin to bring him together with President Assad after the recent meeting of the Syrian and Turkish defense ministers in Moscow, in the presence of the Russian defense minister.

 

Some saw his words as a message from Ankara to the Syrian opposition with all its factions, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, after the information that talked about Ankara's efforts to convince it of the feasibility of a possible reconciliation with Damascus, which is what this opposition started after meeting its leaders, Foreign Minister Mouloud Jawish. oglu last week.

 

Journalist Muhammad Ali Gullar recalled "the slogan raised by nationalist circles at the beginning of the Turkish intervention in northern Syria, when they talked about annexing this region to Turkey, as it was part of the map of the National Pact of 1920, just as Aleppo declared the 82nd state of present-day Turkey."

 

It seems that Aktay's statements and the media's interaction with them will remain the talk of the Turkish street during the next stage, as long as the Syrian file, with all its main and subheadings, will be the semi-main topic of the upcoming election campaigns, after it became clear that this file, especially the issue of Syrian refugees in Turkey, will affect the decision of the Turkish voter when He will vote for President Erdogan or his potential rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

 

This explains why the security authorities raided a gathering center for Syrian refugees in a suburb of Istanbul, whom the Republican People's Party was preparing to deport to Syria with their consent, and the aforementioned authorities transferred them to an unknown location so that Kilicdaroglu would not meet them before they left Istanbul towards the Syrian border.

 

All this while betting on information that was reported a while ago about Syrian President Assad's hesitation in reconciliation with Erdogan before the upcoming elections, which may be in mid-May, at a time when Russian and Gulf pressures continue on the two sides to achieve this reconciliation as quickly as possible.

 Journalist Omar Odamish predicted, "The image that will gather Erdogan and President Assad will affect the psyche of the voter, as the Turkish president will tell him that reconciliation with Damascus is necessary to eliminate terrorism, by which he means the PKK and its Syrian arm, the People's Protection Units, without mentioning the Syrian opposition militants." They are terrorists for Damascus."

 Opposition circles ruled out that Erdogan would meet the Syrian demands, and said that this would be after the elections and not before, given that it would constitute a security crisis in northern Syria and the Turkish interior, especially if Ankara failed to convince Jabhat Tahrir al-Sham of the importance and necessity of this reconciliation, including the war together against the militias. Kurdish forces east of the Euphrates, in exchange for advantages and privileges that Turkey recognizes for HTS fighters and leaders, which the media has been talking about for some time about its heated dialogue with Washington.

 The information talks about Washington increasing its military support for the Kurdish People's Protection Units to face any upcoming war in the region and against the Syrian and Turkish armies in the event of a joint reconciliation.

 President Erdogan seeks to justify this reconciliation to his followers and supporters by talking about the need to eliminate terrorism in Turkey and northern Syria, by which he means the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and its Syrian arm, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, which in turn entered the line of domestic politics in Turkey when it announced the co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party , the political wing of the PKK, the party's decision to participate in the upcoming elections with its own candidate, which puts the opposition "Nation Alliance" face to face with a new crisis in competition with Erdogan, who may prevail over the opposition candidate unless he has the support of the Kurds.

 

This account did not prevent the Supreme Constitutional Court from considering the issue of banning the activity of the Peoples’ Democratic Party before the end of this week, after it froze 3 days ago the aid provided by the treasury, according to the election law, which orders it to support the electoral campaigns of all political parties that have parliamentary blocs, i.e. on At least 20 seats.

 

All these complex data suggest the next stage in Turkish domestic politics, as long as it is affected by the future of the relationship with Damascus, for many surprises in terms of Turkish-Syrian relations, which will be under direct influence from Moscow, Tehran and the Gulf capitals represented by Abu Dhabi, which the Turkish media says is " It is ready to pay billions of dollars to the Syrian and Turkish sides in exchange for their agreement to the final reconciliation, according to its mood and the mood of its allies, who are many and contradictory.