Turkey seeks role in Russia’s drive for settlement in Syria

The search for a political solution in Syria was Lavrov’s focus during talks attended in Doha by the Russian foreign minister and his Turkish and Qatari counterparts.

Turkey entered the Gulf stage on the occasion of the tripartite meeting attended in Doha Thursday

Russia’s chief diplomat obviously did not need a stopover in Doha to hold discussions with Turkey on new arrangements in Syria.

It was clear, however, that Turkey wanted to say: “We are in the Gulf today”.

Analysts said that Ankara wanted a Turkish-Russian approach to the settlement in Syria that is endorsed by Gulf countries so as to showcase its regional weight prior to any future dialogue with the United States.

This is especially true given that the new US administration has not displayed much eagerness to forge relations with Ankara before resolving issues of contention related to Turkey’s human rights record, its intervention in Syria (to impose a buffer zone there) and its threats to the Kurds.

Observers point out that the Turkey has essentially sought political and reputational dividends from participating in the tripartite talks and Cavusoglu’s attendance at the Doha meeting.

They add that the presence of the Turkish minister in Doha at the same time as Lavrov was not part of the Russian foreign minister’s agenda. That agenda was driven by Russia’s outreach to the Gulf region. Had he wanted to engage in dialogue with Turkey, Lavrov would have gone to Ankara, especially given that his meetings with his Turkish counterpart are very frequent.

The analysts believe that the Turkish minister’s presence in Doha was aimed at showing that Ankara is a partner in all aspects of the Syrian solution and that it now plays the role of a connecting link between Russia and the Gulf.  Other objectives included involving Qatar in the Syria settlement drive and dispelling the old perception of Ankara as a supporter of militant Islamic groups.

But the objectives seemed difficult to attain because of Qatar’s record of supporting militants on the one hand, and its hostility to Syrian President Bashar Assad, a Russian ally whom Moscow helped maintain in power in 2015 through its military intervention, on the other hand.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani did not hide his objections to Syria returning to the Arab League, in contradiction with the collective approach in the region that seems to favour a settlement of the Syria crisis within the Arab fold.

Sheikh Mohammed stressed that “the reasons for suspending Syria’s membership in the Arab League in 2011 still remain,” while Cavusoglu said international communication with the Assad government has recently impeded efforts to reach a political solution by giving Damascus more legitimacy.

Russia’s foreign minister also sought to clarify that Qatar could not in any way be construed as a major partner in shaping the future of the Syrian solution, and that it cannot replace Iran, the third main actor on the Astana track.

Lavrov said that the three countries are not seeking an alternative to the efforts deployed by Turkey, Russia and Iran since 2017 to halt the fighting in Syria and to seek a political solution there.

“I can only welcome Qatar’s desire to make its contribution to creating the conditions for overcoming the current tragic situation in Syria,” he said.

A permanent concern for Turkey in any talks with the Qataris is to push Doha to pump more money into the Turkish economy, which faces serious difficulties due to the hostile agendas of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan towards many Arab and European countries.

Analysts emphasise that Lavrov’s tour in the Gulf was aimed at mobilising regional support for a rapid solution in Syria after ten years of war.

It was also meant to show that obstruction of the solution has emanated from the United States, especially during the term in office of former President Donald Trump, who confused the situation with his conflicting signals as he wavered between disengagement from Syria and direct intervention to protect oil fields.

They stress that Moscow will not allow any new factors to overshadow its goals, which include sending a strong message to the new US administration regarding who holds the keys to the solution, and signaling to Gulf states that Russia is their objective ally in the face of US pressure.

The Kremlin would hardly be willing to allow small Turkish-Qatari agendas to eclipse its goals.

The Turkish foreign minister said that his country, Russia and Qatar are making a joint attempt to reach a political solution  for the ten-year-old Syrian conflict.

He announced the launch of “a new tripartite consultation process … Our goal is to discuss how we can contribute to the efforts towards a permanent political solution in Syria,” he said.

He added that the three ministers confirmed in their meeting that the only solution is a political settlement in line with United Nations resolutions.

He mentioned that he decided with his Qatari and Russian counterparts to continue the tripartite meetings on a regular basis, and that the next meeting will be held in Turkey.

He pointed out that the third ministerial meeting will be hosted by Russia, as part of the ongoing effort to establish lasting peace and stability in Syria.

Thani said they also discussed mechanisms for delivering humanitarian aid across all of Syria, adding “there is a crucial need to lessen the suffering of the Syrians.”

In a joint statement issued after the talks, the three ministers urged the United Nations agencies and the World Health Organisation to prioritise COVID-19 vaccinations inside Syria and to intensify  efforts to deliver humanitarian aid.

The ministers also stressed their commitment to preserving Syria’s independence and territorial integrity.

Source: thearabweekly.com

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