Building confidence

The next 13th International high-level meeting on Syria within the Astana process to be held in Nur-Sultan city on August 1-2, 2019. The meeting is expected to be attended by the delegations of the guarantor states - Iran, Russia and Turkey, Syrian Government and armed opposition groups. The high representatives of the UN, Jordan, as well as Lebanon and Iraq, who will participate in the Astana peace process for the first time, will facilitate to the talks as observers. The main emphasis of the upcoming meeting will be placed on a review of the current situation in Syria, particularly, in the province of Idlib and in northeastern Syria, further measures to continue building confidence between the conflicting parties and advance the political process with a focus on finalizing the formation and launch of the Constitutional Committee. Bilateral and multilateral preliminary consultations, including with participation of the Syrian Government and opposition groups representatives will be held on August 1, and a plenary session – on August 2. 
Created at : 19.07.2019, 12:30, Updated at : 19.07.2019, 12:30 mfa.gov.kz

Russia believes that the idea of establishing a security system in the Gulf area might be essential for consolidating political and diplomatic efforts in this region. It implies a long-term programme of action aimed at normalizing the situation, improving stability and security, resolving conflicts, indentifying key benchmarks and parameters for a future post-crisis architecture, as well as ways to fulfill the related tasks. Our initiative is a follow-up to Russia's proposals worked out in late 1990s and improved in 2004 and 2007. Russia's concept of ensuring security in the Gulf area is based on the following principles: – Consolidating, in a single counter-terrorism coalition, all stakeholders interested in eliminating the hotbed of extremism and terrorism in the Middle East and ensuring sustainable political settlement in Syria, Yemen, other countries of the region, is a priority. Counter-terrorism activities should be carried out under the UN aegis on the solid basis of international law. This should provide a foundation for the settlement of conflict situations and other disputes. It is exactly this way that the main objectives of eliminating chemical weapons in Syria were achieved. mid.ru


Nel caso Bolton ci puntasse ancora, il MESA è praticamente accantonato.
A conferma del fatto che il momento non è tra i più facili, il Sultanato ha inviato a Tehran una squadra d'eccellenza. Oltre a Bin Alawi c'era Khalifa Al Harthi. Diplomatico di lungo corso di ritorno dalle nazioni unite e con esperienza in diversi continenti.
Siria e Iran sono scenari essenziali per il consolidamento della presenza russa in regione.
E soprattutto per diventare una valida alternativa agli Stati Uniti.
La logica russa non è mai stata quella della costruzione di un blocco o di un asse stabile da contrapporre agli americani.  Avvantaggiarsi di tensioni pre-esistenti, facendo in modo di orientarle anche, è lo scenario nel quale la Russia è solita cimentarsi.
L'offerta della mediazione politica rimane ovviamente sempre valida.
Ma in un momento come quello attuale, l'escalation militare pare essere l'unica opzione all'orizzonte. E la sponda russa è pronta.