In a four-hour stay on Russian soil, Bashar-ul-Asa’ad, the Syrian ruler, met the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. While talking to Asa’ad, Putin pressed him to realize the fact that only a political solution to the Syrian crisis will take out Syria from the civil war it is in since 2011. Bashar’s meeting with Putin came just before talks resume between Turkey, Iran, and Russia. While Turkey supported the rebels and Iran and Russia backed the Syrian regime, all countries in recent past have cooperated with each other to end the civil war that has virtually disintegrated Syria.
While the Russian bombing campaign is indefensible, and in several cases has violated international human rights and humanitarian laws; Putin’s approach of taking all stakeholders including America on board in shows progress. With such an approach adopted, it is hoped some solution can be found for the Syrian quagmire.
While indicating the end of the military campaign against the rebels, which the Syrian regime and Russians call terrorists, Putin commented that they had a long way to go. Indeed the world powers have to go a long way to reconstruct a shambling Syria. However, the damage to Syria is not only in the form of destroyed infrastructure or wrecked buildings. The social fabric of the Syrian society is torn apart. The nation is divided along sectarian lines.
Speaking to Russian state television, Putin claimed to have achieved victory over terrorists and vowed to move forward with the political process. Nevertheless, he did not elaborate on what is the political process that he wanted to move forward with.
Certain confusions and queries need clarification before the upcoming meeting among Iran, Russia, and Turkey to avoid any stalemate in finding peace for the war-torn nation. Will part of the society who does not consider Asa’ad the legitimate ruler of Syria be part of the political process? Whether all those who have taken up arms against Syrian regime are considered terrorists or there is room for some factions of the militants to be part of the intended political solution for Damascus?