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| Geneva meeting shows West’s inability to solve Syrian crisis |
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The ongoing dispute between the United States and Russia over the Syria crisis was again highlighted during the recent Geneva meeting. The exclusion of Iran from the talks, as demanded by the U.S., resulted in an impasse within the international community on how to move forward.
The meeting was dead on arrival as there is still no determination by Western governments and their Arab allies to respect the United Nations’ peace plan for Syria. The U.S. and its allies are continuing to beat their war drums, despite huge efforts by the former UN secretary general Kofi Annan to offer the conflicting forces in Syria a way out.
The concluding statement of the meeting clearly demonstrates this lack of determination. The participants emphasized the need for more talks between the Syrian government and the opposition, but it proposed no sanction to either side if the truce is violated.
The remarks made by the U.S. and Russian foreign ministers after the statement was issued also illustrated the disputes within the Syria Contact Group. Russia will continue to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, at least for the next two years, as the survival of the current government aligns with Russia’s interests in the region. On the other hand, the U.S. and its allies are doing their utmost to undermine Assad’s efforts for reform and change in Syria.
The Syrian opposition is divided on many issues. Over the past months, the Western governments’ intensive efforts to unite the opposition have been in vein. The recent Geneva meeting and the figures selected to represent the Syrian opposition prove the futility of these efforts. The opposition lacks a united leadership, making the prospect of reaching a solution all the more grim.
Mohyeddin Sajedi is a Middle East expert based in Tehran.   Socialize this Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay in touch and receive all of TT updates right in your feed reader
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| Last Updated on 07 July 2012 17:03 |