Russia Sponsors New Round of Talks between Damascus, Kurds

A Turkish and Russian patrol is seen near the town of Darbasiyah, Syria, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. (AP)
A Turkish and Russian patrol is seen near the town of Darbasiyah, Syria, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. (AP)
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Russia Sponsors New Round of Talks between Damascus, Kurds

A Turkish and Russian patrol is seen near the town of Darbasiyah, Syria, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. (AP)
A Turkish and Russian patrol is seen near the town of Darbasiyah, Syria, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. (AP)

Russia will sponsor in coming days a new round of dialogue between the Kurds and the Damascus regime.

Just days ago, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with head of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), Ilham Ahmad.

Envoys of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Joe Biden have agreed during undisclosed talks in Geneva in recent months over the need to provide American "cover" and Russian "sponsorship" of the Kurdish-Syrian talks.

Deep divide

The Syrians and Kurds had held numerous rounds of dialogue between 2016 to 2019 that revealed the extent of the divide between the two sides.

Damascus refuses to include the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a separate unit in the army and has instead suggested that it be incorporated in the military. It is also demanding that the official national flag be flown throughout the country and recognition of Bashar Assad as Syria's president.

It rejects providing constitutional concessions to the Kurds or recognition of their autonomous administration. It is willing to agree to the local administrations and dedicating lessons to teach Kurdish at schools.

On the strategic resources in the region east of the Euphrates that are held by the Kurds, Damascus wants to have control over them, while agreeing to grant greater revenues from them to the region.

The Kurds are meanwhile hoping Russia will back their demands. Over the summer, the SDC and the People's Will Party signed in Moscow an agreement that Kurdish observers interpreted as recognition of the "unity of Syria and its people" and recognition that the autonomous administration as part of the central regime and that the SDF was part of the national Syrian army.

During a visit to Damascus in September, Lavrov expressed Russia's readiness to continue efforts to prepare the ground for "coexistence" among "all religious and ethnic groups in Syrian society."

He stressed that Russia was not a party in the document that was signed by the SDC and People's Will Party.

The Syrian foreign minister rejected the document, saying Damascus will not support any agreement that violates the Syrian constitution.

Damascus had also rejected a Russian draft of a constitution that stipulates the formation of an "association of regions" that includes the Kurds.

New round

Since the Putin-Biden meeting in June, their envoys to Syria have held three rounds of closed-door talks in Geneva.

Their main goal was to extend the international resolution on cross-border aid deliveries, which was achieved.

However, this platform and others have been used to call for the resumption of dialogue between Damascus and Qamishli.

The US has encouraged the Kurds to resume talks with the regime through Russian "sponsorship".

The new round of talks will focus on operational issues, such as the opening of the Al-Ya'rubiyah crossing under Syrian-Kurdish management, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and military coordination that would deter a new Turkish incursion.

They would also tackle various services and economic agreements.

On the political level, they would address the future of the autonomous administration and its ties with Damascus, the SDF and its role in the army, and the Kurdish national identity.



Asharq Al-Awsat Tours Homs, the ‘Capital’ of Syria’s Revolution, to Witness its Revival

People are seen in the historic market in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
People are seen in the historic market in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Asharq Al-Awsat Tours Homs, the ‘Capital’ of Syria’s Revolution, to Witness its Revival

People are seen in the historic market in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
People are seen in the historic market in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

In the heart of Homs, Syria’s third-largest city, the new Clock Square, nestled between the governorate building, the Teachers' Syndicate, and the Atassi Tower, reflects a slow yet noticeable return to life. The bustling markets, the flow of pedestrians and the modern vehicles all paint a picture of gradual recovery in the region.

However, just a few meters away, stark contrasts and remnants of war are visible in the neighborhoods of Khalidiya, Jouret al-Shiah, Baba Amr, Deir Ballaba and Al-Bayyadah.

Some of these areas were once the epicenter of peaceful protests, filled with music and dance, before the ousted regime’s security crackdown turned into all-out war.

In areas like Al-Wa’ar, from which the last batch of fighters withdrew, the price paid by the opposition to topple ousted President Bashar al-Assad is still etched in the city’s landscape.

At the crossroads of Al-Hamidiyah, Homs’ historic markets, the sounds of street vendors, the hustle of pedestrians and the blaring horns of cars and motorcycles fill the air amid heavy traffic. Trucks and vehicles are seen moving in and out of the gates of Old Homs, signaling the city’s recovery and return to the spotlight after years of war.

Eyad Abdullah, originally from Baba Amr, has just returned from 13 years of exile in Türkiye.

Members of the military operations command are seen at the new Clock Square in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Strolling with his wife and children near the Clock Square, he spoke with joy to Asharq Al-Awsat: “I have three children - two sons and a daughter, who is 12 years old. They were all born outside Syria in refugee camps. Today, we are walking near the Clock Square, and we’re about to visit the old market.”

“It was all a dream, and now it’s come true,” Abdullah explained.

Sectarian tensions

Eng. Mihyar Khaddour, another individual Asharq Al-Awsat stopped to speak with, shared his concerns about the sectarian tensions left by the Baath regime.

Homs, a major hub of the revolution against Assad, was one of the cities where the regime used overwhelming force to silence opposition voices.

Khaddour emphasized: “If Homs remains trapped in sectarian divisions, we will not know peace. But if its people manage to restore it to its former state as a symbol of coexistence and diversity, it will be the greatest victory the people could achieve.”

Damaged buildings are seen in the Khalidiya neighborhood in Homs. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Over 60% destroyed

Homs is one of the most devastated cities due to the shelling by forces loyal to Assad. In neighborhoods like Khalidiya, Deir Ballaba, Al-Bayyadah and Jouret al-Shiah, the destruction has surpassed 60%.

The city ranks third in terms of damage from military operations, following Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta near Damascus respectively.

The devastation is evident in the heavily damaged buildings, many of which have not seen their residents return, with only a few returning more than two months after the fall of the regime.

The return of stability to Homs has opened a new chapter for local shop owners and artisans, allowing them to resume businesses passed down through generations.

Abdel Bastet Al-Frawati, who owns a shop in the historic Arab fur market, shared that many business owners and tradespeople returned after the fall of the regime.

“We went through difficult days and months, with little work and challenges in purchasing leather from abroad or shipping it from Damascus,” he said.

“But today, the markets are once again connected, and traders can buy and sell across Syria and neighboring areas,” he explained.