Russia and Turkey Remain at Impasse Over Syria

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Two days of talks in Moscow failed to resolve major differences between both countries.

Russia supports Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

It's involved in resolving years of war diplomatically, what's been unattainable because the US and its imperial allies reject resolution.

Since September 2015, Russia has been combatting ISIS, al-Nusra, and other terrorists in Syria — elements supported by the US, NATO, Turkey, Israel and the Saudis.

According to Turkey's Anadolu news agency, talks between Russian and Turkish officials Monday and Tuesday in Moscow ended with no statement - indicating continued impasse.

Erdogan regime spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said talks failed to yield a "satisfactory result," both sides agreeing to continue negotiations, adding:

Statements by Russian officials "do not reflect the reality (sic)." Changing or removing Turkey's observation posts in Syria is "out of the question."

"Returning to the Sochi deal is the baseline of Turkey's policy for Idlib" — what the Erdogan regime flagrantly breached by its cross-border aggression in Syria, along with arming and otherwise aiding jihadists instead of combatting them as pledged.

Turkey's involvement in northern Syria is all about wanting its territory annexed, notably coveting its oil-producing areas.

According to Turkey's Haberturk television, the country's military deployed more troops and weapons cross-border in Syria to jihadist controlled areas, including tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery — escalating conflict if used against Syrian forces, Kalin saying:

"We will continue the deployment and fortification of troops in the area" — that's all about pursuing Erdogan's revanchist aims, on the phony pretext of "ensur(ing) the safety of (Idlib) and the civilians there" Ankara doesn't give a hoot about.

On Tuesday, Trump said he and Erdogan "are working together on Idlib" — against Syrian sovereignty and its people, he failed to explain.

The US, Turkey, and their imperial partners continue supporting anti-Syrian jihadists, rejecting diplomatic conflict resolution that Russia is in the vanguard of pursuing.

Erdogan threatened to attack Syrian troops if they fail to withdraw from northern parts of their own country he wants control over and annexed.

Is he bluffing or serious given that Russia controls airspace over Idlib and surrounding areas?

Will he accuse Syria of attacking Turkish troops and invoke NATO Articles 4 and 5?

The former calls for members to "consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any" is threatened — clearly not the case within Turkey's borders.

The latter considers an armed attack (real or otherwise) against one or more members an attack against all — invoking the principle of collective self-defense.

Turkey operates cross-border illegally as an aggressor against sovereign Syria.

The same goes for the US, NATO, and Israel, the Jewish state at war with Syria without declaring it — by its own admission, terror-bombing Syrian sites hundreds of times in recent years, the world community doing nothing to challenge it.

Ignoring Erdogan's threats, Syrian forces continue advancing in Idlib and Aleppo provinces, aided by Russian airpower.

On Tuesday, AMN News reported that thousands gathered in Aleppo city's Saadallah Al-Jabri Square to celebrate its liberation by Syrian forces.

For years, the city's countryside was a platform for US/Turkish supported jihadists to attack civilians and government troops, the area's threat eliminated by liberating the city and its surrounding areas.

On Tuesday, Russia's reconciliation center in Syria's Admiral Oleg Zhuravlev said the following:

"The US command in the region is intensively saturating the territory east of the Euphrates river with weapons and ammunition," adding: 

"Since the beginning of 2020, 13 (US) military convoys have arrived from Iraq to Syria, which included over 80 armored vehicles and more than 300 trucks loaded with various types of weapons, ammunition and materiel" for jihadists supported by the Pentagon and CIA.

Zhuravlev explained that thousands of Syrian civilians are fleeing what's going on in the country's north, seeking safe haven in government controlled areas — contradicting propaganda reports that blame Syria and Russia for their exodus.

Since Syrian forces began their campaign to liberate Idlib and Aleppo from US/Turkish supported jihadists in mid-December, greatly aided by Russian airpower, over 2,000 square km of both provinces were freed from their control — a major blow to US and Turkish imperial aims.

Southfront reported that "Idlib City is preparing a ticker tape parade for Assad" following its liberation by government forces.

As things now stand, it's perhaps imminent in the coming days.

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