RUSSIA AND SAUDI SEEK TO UNIFY SYRIA’S ANTI-ASSAD FACTIONS

▶ Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Jeddah solidifies alliance ahead of crucial peace talks in Geneva

Saudi Arabia and Russia have agreed on the importance of war-free zones in Syria and establishing a united delegation of the Syrian opposition for peace talks in Geneva.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Jeddah on Saturday and met Saudi King Salman to discuss the latest international and regional developments.

Mr Lavrov also held talks with Saudi foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir, focusing on Syria. He is due to fly to Jordan where he will meet King Abdullah and his foreign minister, Ayman Safadi.

“We are supporting Saudi Arabia’s efforts for one opposition delegation,” Mr Lavrov said after meeting Mr Al Jubeir.

“We believe that when unification happens, and I think it will happen, we need to motivate members of this delegation to work out a platform that would help them with the Geneva negotiations.”

Mr Al Jubeir said: “Our position is that we have to maintain Syria’s unity, take into consideration the interest of all groups and follow the provisions of UN security council resolution 2,254. As for Geneva talks, we support them.”

That resolution outlines a path to a peace process in Syria, while setting a timetable for talks between government and opposition members.

Mr Lavrov said on Friday that he hoped talks in the Kazakhstan capital Astana this week would lead to a fourth war-free zone in the rebel-held province of Idlib.

“We believe there are signs of tangible progress,” he said in Moscow. “Three de-escalation zones are operational in south-western Syria, eastern Ghouta and northern Homs province.

“It’s the most complex one. That’s why its co-ordination has taken so long. After that, we will be in an even better position to improve the humanitarian situation there.”

The three-day Astana talks are due to start on Wednesday and are sponsored by Russia and Iran, who support the government of president Bashar Al Assad, and Turkey, a supporter of rebel groups.

In war-free zones, use of weapons and air strikes are forbidden, and humanitarian groups must be given access to deliver aid.

Some analysts say Saudi Arabia may be coming around to the idea that Mr Al Assad will be part of a future Syria. But Riyadh maintains the goal is “a new future for Syria without Bashar Al Assad”.

“The Saudis now realise that the Russians could be the only party that can settle the Syria conflict,” Mustafa Alani, head of the defence and security department at the Gulf Research Centre in Dubai, told Bloomberg. “They don’t have a problem with the idea that the regime can stay.”

Last month, talks in Riyadh

between the Saudi-backed opposition high negotiations committee, and two other blocs closer to Moscow ended in stalemate, with the fate of Mr Al Assad still an obstacle to a unified front for peace talks.

Another round is scheduled in Riyadh next month.

On Saturday, Syrian troops broke ISIL’s siege of Deir Ezzor’s military airport, while USbacked forces launched an offensive against the extremists elsewhere in the province.

Russia said that its planes provided cover to the Assad forces and carried out “massive air strikes” that helped them to liberate the airport from ISIL.

“Syrian government forces, with Russian air support inflicted a crushing defeat around Deir Ezzor, surpassing all the other victories achieved in the past three years,” the ministry said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the latest development would allow Syrian troops to “link up all the neighbourhoods that they hold in western parts of Deir Ezzor city”.