Moving slowly forward

The de-escalation zones scheme adopted at the recently concluded fourth round of Astana peace talks on the Syrian conflict may have gained some much-needed support after Damascus signalled, at last, that it can go along with it and Russia accepting a US role in the implementation process.

Syrian President Bashar Assad expressed belated support for the plan and suggested that it could provide a formula for national reconciliation with at least some of the opposition factions.

The US’ role in the deal was a troublesome issue since it entails some US armed forces presence on Syrian soil.

Moscow now says that Washington can indeed play a part if Damascus consents to such a role, meaningless when Damascus does Moscow’s bidding.

A US role in the successful creation of the safe zones and, eventually, in the resolution of the Syrian conflict is just as important as that of Russia, and the fact that Moscow now is in charge of the situation in Syria should not preclude such role.

US President Donald Trump has endorsed the idea in principle, pending details, so connecting the remaining dots should be a sure way of securing the US support.

Filling in the remaining blanks in the accord should not be a big problem now since most players, at least those who really count, share more or less the same vision for ending the Syrian crisis.

Also important to decide is the role the UN has to play in every step of the deal, starting with the Geneva talks all the way to the reconstruction of war-ravaged Syria.

Assad’s saying that he sees no role for the UN shows that he counts more on the Astana outcome, comfortable in the knowledge that he is Russia’s protégé and thus spared much censure, which, no doubt, is what Moscow and Tehran also want.

Yet for the sake of legitimacy, irrespective of which parties decide on a way out of war for Syria and of the conditions they impose, there is no escape from putting any agreement before the UN Security Council.

The steps on the way to peace are labourious and slow, but movement is better than the stalemate so far and it, hopefully, will bring the conflict to an end that is agreeable to all Syrians.