According to Arpine Hovsepyan, an expert of the “Hayatsk” Applied Policy and Research Analytical Center, the recent talks in Astana on Syria cannot be considered a breakthrough but it is impossible to ignore the efforts of the initiators: Russia, Iran and Turkey, to switch the parties to the political realm. “Simply, the negotiations failed although the parties sat down at the table. No document was adopted, no action plan for the settlement of the conflict was elaborated. There was no discussion of political matters because of discrepancies between the parties,” said he at the meeting with the journalists at the “Novosti-Armenia” press center.
Arpine Hovsepyan, as the main failure of the initiators, indicated the fact that they could not convey international nature to the negotiations, “The EU and the United States refused to participate, they were satisfied with the status of an observer. This is a blow to Russia’s, Iran’s and Turkey’s stance aimed at the settlement of the conflict.” According to the expert, especially Russia has an intention to continue the process of Astana, “Russia, Iran and Turkey have controversies on Syria but they managed to assume the initiative of the settlement of the conflict which they do not intend to yield to external forces, to the United States. This does not mean that the Russia-US cooperation in Syria is exhausted. Trump does not exclude joint fight with Russia against ISIS. At the same time, the Russian-American partnership is disturbing for Turkey. Trump announced that he intends to create security zones in Syria, including the Kurds which is not at hand for Turkey. According to one of the discussed scenarios, Syria will become a federal republic which will weaken Turkey’s positions.”
