‘Russia maintains dialogue both with Assad and Syrian opposition’

16.11, 20:00

The foreign ministers of the Arab League, consisting of 22 members, have confirmed the suspension of Syria from the group, blaming it for the violent suppression of anti-government rallies.

Arab world protests 15.11, 15:49

As violence continues unabated in this Arab Republic, members of the Syrian opposition are telling Russian diplomats they are against any foreign military intervention in the settlement of their country's conflict.

Syria unrest 15.11, 10:45

Syrian opposition leaders said that they want to prevent any military intervention in Syria and avoid a Libyan scenario. The statement comes during their visit to Moscow as pressure piles on the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Syria unrest 14.11, 23:44

Syria is becoming increasingly isolated with its neighbors turning their backs on it. Some believe that the Arab League and especially the Gulf states are doing the bidding of the West by putting more pressure on Damascus.

Syria unrest 14.11, 17:02

The “illegitimate” decision to suspend Syria from the Arab League has received wide support from the EU and the US. Russia, however, has strongly opposed the measure, which is starting to look like another step on the road to a Libya-style scenario.

Arab world protests Syria unrest 13.11, 22:23

As massive pro-Assad demonstrations continue across Syria, Damascus has called for an emergency meeting of Arab League heads of state in an apparent attempt to avert its suspension from the regional bloc.

Syria unrest //

Published: 17 November, 2011, 07:09

Syrians wave national flags as they rally in central Damascus on November 16, 2011. (AFP Photo/Louai Beshara )

(53.7Mb) embed video
To include this chart in your web page, paste the following HTML tag into your web page HTML:

TAGS: Conflict, Military, Russia, Politics, Kevin Owen, Opposition, Syria

Russian lawmaker and foreign policy architect Konstantin Kosachev thinks that Russia is “probably one of the very few, or maybe the only country, which maintains dialogue both with Assad and with the opposition.”

Kosachev told RT that the opposition has visited Russia recently.

“We had rather a good discussion in Moscow – nobody else does the same thing. People either support this or that part. We are impartial, we have dialogue with each side, and hopefully we will succeed in promoting further political process there.”

The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the State Duma believes that targeting Damascus is counterproductive to solving the crisis in Syria, while, he notes, the situation is getting more and more alarming.

“For me the fact that the violence is escalating is a reflection of the wrong approach taken by certain states, a unilateral approach, when they keep saying to the people of Syria that ‘You, people, are right, and the authorities are wrong’. This is a wrong approach, because that type of messages introduces an illusion that, the people of Syria can get freedom and democracy by using violence against the ruling authorities and not by negotiations.”

According to Kosachev, the message being sent to the Syrian authorities and the Syrian people by Russia is “much more appropriate.”

The sanctions by the Arab League and the West are based on the argument that Damascus is cracking down on peaceful demonstrators. But Damascus says it is fighting the Free Syrian Army, which is apparently well-armed and coordinated, and is staging a full-on assault on the regime. As for Russia’s view on the way the Free Syrian Army are conducting themselves, there are certain “questions” to them concerning this, as the Russian lawmaker points out.

“We do have questions because we can see they use heavy weapons, they are well equipped, so it is not just about throwing stones at policemen or bodyguards – this is about using heavy weapons and this is a real war. And for Russia the most important thing is to prevent further casualties and victims, and the only way to do that is to maintain the political process once again. I believe that Russia, the US and the EU, the Arab League and anybody else is to send the only message to all conflicting sides in the country – that is to try and speak to each other.”

Today: 01:10

With the credibility of an IAEA report on Iran’s secretive nuclear activity being questioned, some experts say the Iranian people should ask their government why their country is still a member of the UN nuclear agency.

Today: 10:37

Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York have returned to the epicenter of the movement, Zuccotti Park, but without their tents and sleeping bags. Massive rallies are expected to resume throughout the United States.

Occupy Wall Street

View the original article here

Damascus sells peace but opposition isn’t buying

01.11, 17:18

Russia will not allow the repetition of the Libyan scenario in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said after a meeting with the Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in Abu-Dhabi.

Arab world protests Libyan conflict Syria unrest 31.10, 22:00

There is a conspiracy involving regional powers that is aimed at overthrowing the Assad regime in Syria, warned Beirut-based political analyst Kamel Al Wazne.

Syria unrest 30.10, 13:52

Syria’s President Assad has promised “ten Afghan wars” if the West intervenes in his country’s internal affairs.

Syria unrest 28.10, 19:36

With 37 people reportedly killed by Syrian security forces in anti-government protests on Friday, opposition activists are now urging protesters to rally for a no-fly zone over the country – a move tantamount to foreign intervention.

Arab world protests 19.10, 11:45

The unrest engulfing Syria is descending into all-out conflict, with the growing violence claiming lives on both sides.

Arab world protests 15.10, 13:04

RT’s team in Syria reports on the widening gap between the capital, which staunchly supports the Assad regime, and other parts of the country, which oppose it. Meanwhile, the UN is warning of a looming civil war.

Arab world protests //

Published: 03 November, 2011, 17:12

Pro-democracy protesters, holding a huge pre-Baath era Syrian flag (AFP Photo / MOHAMMED HOSSAM)

TAGS: Conflict, Meeting, Military, Middle East, Protest, Politics, Human rights, War, Syria

The Syrian government has agreed to an Arab League peace plan to end almost eight months of unrest that has left scores dead. However, with the opposition against any initiative that would leave Assad in power, the country remains as divided as ever.

­Arab league leaders meeting in Cairo have reached a deal that could see an end of the violent uprising against President Assad that has gripped the country since March.

Under the agreement, Syria will initiate a complete cessation of violence, withdraw the large military presence from urban areas, release prisoners, hold talks with the opposition and lift the tight media restrictions which are currently in place.  

Speaking at a news conference, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim al-Thani expressed the Arab’s Leagues support for the plan and the need for immediate action.   

"The Arab League welcomes the Syrian government's agreement to the Arab plan and emphasizes the need for the immediate, full and exact implementation of the articles in the plan," as cited by ABC news.  

However, the Syrian opposition rejected the peace plan on Thursday, saying that nothing short of an overthrow of the existing regime would prompt them to enter talks with the government.  

Their decision to reject the plan comes amid Syrian activists’ claims that tanks mounted with machine guns have opened fire in the city of Homs.

According to activists, security forces have shot some 20 civilians in the city and surrounding villages since Tuesday.  

Similar reports have generated serious doubts both within Syria and throughout the international community that the Arab League initiative can bring an end to violence in the country.  

For many in the opposition, Assad is merely trying to buy time with the latest promises of peace.  The opposition also claims the Arab league plan has failed to take into account the will of the people.  

“The Syrian people have decided: the regime must go. So there can be no dialogue that doesn't involve the regime leaving. A murderous regime cannot be accepted," prominent opposition figure and former judge Haitham Maleh told Reuters.

The United States also remains firmly opposed to any plan that would leave President Assad in power.  

During a press briefing at the White House, when asked if the Obama administration had been informed of most recent resolution to end violence in Syria, Press Secretary Jay Carney expressed support for the move, but remained firm that Assad was an illegitimate ruler and has to go.  

In May, US President Barack Obama imposed sanctions against Assad and other senior-level Syrian officials in response to the violent crackdown on protesters. Sanctions were also imposed on Syria's oil industry and key state businesses to exert greater economic pressure on the Syrian government.  

But despite firmly entrenched opposition to Assad in some corners, Arab diplomats have insisted that the Libyan model will not be applied to Syria under any circumstances. Russia has also opposed a repeat of the Libyan scenario, as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had previously expressed Russia’s support for the Arab League peace initiative. For its part, NATO has ruled out conducting military operations in the country for the time being.

In the face of deeply entrenched divisions, the Arab league has pledged to continue in its attempts to bring the two parties together in the run up to a national dialogue which is expected within a fortnight.

03.11, 15:12

The US and its allies, such as the UK and Israel, may launch a missile attack on Iranian uranium enrichment facilities in the next 12 months, media speculate.

03.11, 17:47

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has scrapped his plan for a referendum on the EU bailout package. Earlier he denied rumors of his possible resignation.

Eurozone crisis

View the original article here