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Kerry searches for common ground on the Syrian conflict as attacks spread Kerry searches for common ground on the Syrian conflict as attacks spread
(about 2 hours later)
MUNICH-- Secretary of State John F. Kerry planned separate, back-to-back meetings with the lead negotiator for the Syrian opposition and Russia’s foreign minister Thursday, searching for common ground that would allow political talks over Syria’s future to move forward. MUNICH — Secretary of State John F. Kerry searched Thursday for common ground amid stalled Syrian peace efforts, holding meetings with a key Syrian opposition envoy and Russia’s foreign minister even as Moscow pressed ahead with airstrikes to aid its ally in Damascus.
Riyad Hijab, the former Syrian prime minister who heads the opposition negotiating committee, has said that his group would not enter talks with the Russian-backed government until Russian airstrikes on rebel-held and civilian areas cease and humanitarian corridors are opened to allow safe passage of assistance to government-besieged towns and cities. Kerry’s outreach faces considerable challenges. Both Russia and Syrian opposition appear far apart, threatening the wider efforts to find a political path to end five years of conflict in Syria.
Riyad Hijab, the former Syrian prime minister who heads the opposition negotiating committee, has set clear demands before the group could consider talks with the Russian-backed Syrian government. They include a halt to Russian airstrikes on rebel-held and civilian areas and the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow safe passage of aid to besieged areas.
Russia — which began airstrikes last year to help Syria’s government — claims the attacks aim to clear Aleppo, a key city in western Syria, of what Moscow calls terrorist fighters.
Tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing the attacks have streamed toward Turkey, but have faced a barricaded border as Turkish leaders engage in a showdown with Western allies over the refugees and steps to end the Syrian crisis.Tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing the attacks have streamed toward Turkey, but have faced a barricaded border as Turkish leaders engage in a showdown with Western allies over the refugees and steps to end the Syrian crisis.
[Syrians stranded between airstrikes and locked border fence][Syrians stranded between airstrikes and locked border fence]
Russia has proposed continuing its bombardment for at least another three weeks, to clear the area around the city of Aleppo of what it says are terrorist fighters. Russia last year began airstrikes in support of Syria’s government, Moscow’s most key Middle East ally. “We’re going to have a serious conversation about all aspects about what’s happening in Syria,” said Kerry before a closed-door session with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The intervention also has sharpened tensions between Russia and West, complicating international attempts to end Syria’s five years of conflict. “Obviously, at some point in time,” Kerry continued, “we want to make progress on the issues of humanitarian access and cease-fire.”
In Moscow, the defense ministry on Thursday accused the United States — whose aircraft are attacking nearby Islamic State forces — of bombing civilian areas in Aleppo. Lavrov told reporters that Russia had already proposed a “quite specific” cease-fire plan.
The allegation followed a charge by Col. Steve Warren, the Baghdad-based spokesmen for coalition operations in Iraq and Syria, that Russian planes had bombed two hospitals in Aleppo. “We will wait for the American response before we take it to” the International Syria Support Group of 17 nations that plans to meet in Munich later Thursday.
Russia also accused Western television of broadcasting images of bomb damage in Aleppo that he said preceded the current Russian air campaign. He said that rebel fighters evacuating the city were hiding among civilians, and pushing them toward the border with Turkey. U.S. officials have said that the Russian plan, conveyed to Washington earlier in the week, proposed a March 1 deadline for a cease-fire. It further seeks agreement that there will be no international monitoring on the ground or attempts to adjudicate blame for pre-cease-fire actions.
While American officials said the extended deadline was unacceptable, they said they had not responded yet with specifics.
In Moscow, a Kremlin spokesman refused to address reports that Russia had offered a March 1 bombing stop.
[U.S. official tours Syrian devastation]
A U.N. resolution in December called for a cease-fire and humanitarian access. Before meeting Lavrov, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, urged Russia and other backers of the resolution to “stick to their own commitments.”
“It’s not just for the sake of diplomacy or the sake of geopolitics,” Mogherini said. “We’re not talking about numbers here, we’re talking about people.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry was defiant about its intervention in Syria, saying it would not yield to Western entreaties to stop an effort that has given President Bashar al-Assad powerful momentum on the battlefield.
Western efforts at “political transitions” — the subject of the Support Group meeting in Munich — led to bloodshed and refugees, Ministry Spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters in Moscow.
Konashenkov said that Russian military planes have flown 510 combat missions in the last week, destroying “1,888 terrorist facilities.” He gave no indication that Russia plans to stop any time soon.
He denied that Russia was bombing civilians, saying that “no matter how long one baits terrorists, they will not become opposition members.”
Responding to a charge Wednesday from Col. Steve Warren, the Baghdad-based spokesmen for coalition operations in Iraq and Syria, that Russian planes had bombed two hospitals in Aleppo, Konashenkov said that two U.S. planes were actually the ones responsible.
“There were no coalition airstrikes in or near Aleppo on Wednesday, Feb 10. Any claim that the coalition had aircraft in the area is a fabrication,” Warren countered on Thursday.
[Kerry’s struggles over Syria][Kerry’s struggles over Syria]
Kerry is trying to find a way to stop the fighting and resume United Nations-sponsored negotiations over a transition government in Syria that were suspended early this month. Kerry is trying to find a way to stop the fighting and resume U.N.-sponsored negotiations over a transition government in Syria that were suspended early this month.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who met with Kerry earlier in the week in Washington, and again Wednesday night in Munich, also attended the meeting with Hijab. The Saudis have closely advised opposition negotiators.Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who met with Kerry earlier in the week in Washington, and again Wednesday night in Munich, also attended the meeting with Hijab. The Saudis have closely advised opposition negotiators.
Along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.N. Syrian envoy Staffan de Mistura, Kerry will chair a meeting with representatives of the 17 European and regional governments who are sponsoring the negotiations.Along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.N. Syrian envoy Staffan de Mistura, Kerry will chair a meeting with representatives of the 17 European and regional governments who are sponsoring the negotiations.
If the group fails to agree on a way forward that is acceptable to the opposition, the peace process is likely to collapse.If the group fails to agree on a way forward that is acceptable to the opposition, the peace process is likely to collapse.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, whose government backs embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, arrived Thursday in Munich to attend the meeting. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, whose government also backs Assad, arrived Thursday in Munich to attend the meeting.
In Brussels, meanwhile, NATO leaders grappled on two fronts: the battle against the Islamic State and other militant factions in Syria and Iraq, and the waves of migrants fleeing Middle East violence.In Brussels, meanwhile, NATO leaders grappled on two fronts: the battle against the Islamic State and other militant factions in Syria and Iraq, and the waves of migrants fleeing Middle East violence.
NATO dispatched warships to patrol the eastern Aegean, seeking to disrupt people-smuggling networks between Turkey and Greek islands.NATO dispatched warships to patrol the eastern Aegean, seeking to disrupt people-smuggling networks between Turkey and Greek islands.
[NATO to confront human-smuggling networks in Aegean][NATO to confront human-smuggling networks in Aegean]
Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter also met with defense ministers from the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State to ask for more contributions to the effort. Carter and Army Gen. Sean MacFarland, his top commander leading the effort from Baghdad, planned to brief the group on the current situation on the ground, and the campaign plan to eventually route Islamic State forces from their headquarters in Mosul, Iraq and Raqqa, in Syria.Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter also met with defense ministers from the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State to ask for more contributions to the effort. Carter and Army Gen. Sean MacFarland, his top commander leading the effort from Baghdad, planned to brief the group on the current situation on the ground, and the campaign plan to eventually route Islamic State forces from their headquarters in Mosul, Iraq and Raqqa, in Syria.
“The secretary will frankly give a call to his fellow ministers, to be creative, to speak up, to contribute to the thought leadership on the campaign,” said a senior U.S. defense official who discussed the upcoming deliberations on condition of anonymity because they had yet to happen. “Because there’s no monopoly on good ideas just from the United States.”
Asked how his push to accelerate the fight against the Islamic State might overlap with attempts in Munich to arrange a Syrian cease-fire, Carter indicated that he didn’t want to get out in front of Kerry.Asked how his push to accelerate the fight against the Islamic State might overlap with attempts in Munich to arrange a Syrian cease-fire, Carter indicated that he didn’t want to get out in front of Kerry.
“Our focus here is going to be on counter-ISIL,” Carter said using an acronym for the Islamic State. “It would certainly help to de-fuel extremism if the Syrian civil war came to an end.”“Our focus here is going to be on counter-ISIL,” Carter said using an acronym for the Islamic State. “It would certainly help to de-fuel extremism if the Syrian civil war came to an end.”
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among those who have said they will contribute ground troops — most likely Special Operations forces — in Syria as part of a coalition plan against the Islamic State they have said has not yet been forthcoming from the United States.Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among those who have said they will contribute ground troops — most likely Special Operations forces — in Syria as part of a coalition plan against the Islamic State they have said has not yet been forthcoming from the United States.
U.S. allies have grown increasingly critical of the Obama administration’s strategy in the fight against the militants, as well as in negotiations to stop the civil war, now in its fourth year, between Assad’s forces and rebels seeking to overthrow his government.U.S. allies have grown increasingly critical of the Obama administration’s strategy in the fight against the militants, as well as in negotiations to stop the civil war, now in its fourth year, between Assad’s forces and rebels seeking to overthrow his government.
In France Wednesday, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called the administration’s commitment to resolving the Syrian crisis “ambiguous,” and lacking a “strong commitment.” He said that President Obama, reaching the end of his term, was unwilling to back up some of Kerry’s strong statements. Michael Birnbaum in Moscow, Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Griff Witte in Brussels and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.
“There are words, but actions are different, and obviously the Iranians and Russians feel that,” said Fabius, who also said he was resigning as foreign minister after four years in office.
Turkey, whose role in the coalition is crucial as a frontline state with a 500-mile border with Syria, is also engaged in an increasingly acrimonious spat with the United States over U.S. support for Syrian Kurds. Washington has allied itself with the Kurds in the fight against the Islamic State, while Ankara considers them terrorists, in league with separatist Turkish Kurds.
In addition to U.S.-backed combat against the Islamic State in northeastern Syria, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, known as the YPG, also appear to be aiding Russian and government efforts against the rebels in the northwest, according to rebel leaders around Aleppo.
Gibbons-Neff reported from Brussels. Griff Witte in Brussels and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.