Questions remain on policing of safe zones
BEIRUT — Syria’s foreign minister on Monday dismissed the idea of foreign forces patrolling four safe areas that are to be established under a deal struck by Russia, Iran and Turkey, suggesting Damascus would only settle for Russian “military police” who are already on the ground in the “de-escalation zones.”
Damascus would abide by the agreement signed in the Kazakh capital of Astana last week, Walid al-Moallem said at a news conference in the Syrian capital, but cautioned it was “premature” to tell whether the deal would succeed.
“There will be no presence by any international forces supervised by the United Nations,” alMoallem said. “The Russian guarantor has clarified that there will be military police and observation centers.”
Though he did not specify who the military police would be, he appeared to be referring to Russian observers already in Syria.
Al-Moallem also vowed that Syrian government forces would respond “decisively” to any violation or attack from the opposition’s side.
“There are still logistical details that will be discussed in Damascus, and we will see the extent of commitment to this agreement,” al-Moallem said.
The Russia-Iran-Turkey cease-fire deal went into effect over the weekend and brought a general reduction in violence across the country, but clashes continued, particularly in central Syria. There are still questions about how it will be enforced.
According to statements, Russia and Iran, which support Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, and Turkey, which backs the rebels, may deploy armed forces to secure the four deescalation zones, in what would amount to unprecedented coordination between the three regional powers.
The United States is not party to the agreement. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the U.S. owes it to the people of Syria to take a close look at the proposal for safe zones in Syria. But Mattis also said the plan poses many unanswered questions, including whether it would be effective. He suggested that it’s still not yet clear what impact the plan could have on the U.S.led fight against Islamic State group militants.
Even if the agreement is enforced, it is unlikely to end the conflict. Despite several rounds of U.N.-mediated negotiations in Geneva, the government and opposition remain at odds over President Bashar Assad’s future role in Syria.