Turkey, Russia discussing broader Syrian cease-fire
Ongoing talks in Moscow pursue a grand bargain among great powers
BEIRUT — Turkey and Russia are discussing a broader Syrian cease-fire after brokering the deal that evacuated rebel-held eastern Aleppo, Syrian opposition factions said Wednesday, but a number of rebel groups say they won’t agree to anything until they get more details.
All previous attempts at enforcing a nationwide cease-fire in Syria have failed.
The recent warming of ties between Russia and Turkey, who provide crucial support to opposing sides of the war, may prove to be a game changer, but the challenges are immense.
The foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia and Iran met in Moscow last week for talks on Syria that pointedly included no Syrians, indicating they prefer to pursue a grand bargain among great powers with stakes in the conflict rather than a domestic settlement between the government and the opposition.
An official with one of the factions confirmed to The Associated Press that Russian and Turkish officials were debating a cease-fire proposal that would encompass the whole of Syria. He said the talks are ongoing.
Rebels have opposed previous proposals that would allow the government to continue its offensives around the outskirts of the capital, Damascus.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said later Wednesday that its embassy in the Syrian capital was hit by mortar fire, blaming the attack on “extremists” opposed to a peaceful settlement. It said a mortar round landed in the embassy courtyard without exploding, and another fell in the vicinity.
Turkey’s Anadolu Agency said Wednesday morning that Ankara and Moscow had reached an agreement, and Turkish media reports quoted Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as saying that a lasting cease-fire and political solution in Syria are “close.” But no details were announced, and there was no confirmation from state officials.
Yasin Aktay, the spokesman for Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, said the government is pushing for a cease-fire to be in place “as we enter 2017.”
The Syrian opposition official said factions were holding vigorous discussions over the possibilities, while an official with a different group said the proposal has not been formally presented to the opposition.
“It is difficult to accept or refuse the matter before we look at the details, of course,” said the official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to prejudge intra-opposition talks.
The Anadolu report quoted unnamed officials as saying a plan for a cease-fire “in all regions” would be presented to the warring parties. The ceasefire would exclude terrorist organizations, it said, without elaborating on which groups would be left out.
It said peace talks in Kazakhstan would proceed under Russia and Turkey’s leadership if the cease-fire holds, with the two acting as “guarantors” of any deal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman confirmed Russia and Turkey were in “constant contact” to prepare for planned Syria peace talks in Kazakhstan, but did not comment about the possibility of a cease-fire.