Istanbul Summit on Syria
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Russia’s Putin, Germany’s Merkel, France’s Macron, and Turkey’s Erdogan met in Istanbul’s Vahdettin Pavilion.
It’s an official residence of Turkey’s president, including a state guest house. Joint four-party and bilateral talks were held.
Discussions focused on achieving a political solution to endless US-launched aggression, war in its eighth year with no prospect for resolution any time soon.
Other issues discussed included strengthening Syria’s security and stability, helping its refugees return safely, and restoring the country’s social and economic infrastructure – reconstruction an enormous task, requiring years and tens of billion of dollars to complete in conflict-free areas.
The US, Britain and Israel aren’t involved in discussions. They’re militantly hostile to Syrian sovereign independence, wanting endless war continued, opposing resolution, their regime change agenda supported by France, Germany and Turkey.
Russia is the only nation involved in Istanbul talks forthrightly for peace, Syrian territorial integrity, and right of its people alone to choose their governance and leadership – free from foreign interference.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the problem Russia faces, saying views and objectives of Istanbul participants differ sharply, at the same time claiming they all want “a political solution in Syria.”
Turkish forces illegally occupy northeast Syrian territory bordering both countries, at war with Kurdish YPG fighters supported by Washington, Erdogan hostile to Assad.
France’s Macron and Germany’s Merkel are key US NATO allies, partnered in Washington’s war of aggression and illegal sanctions on Russia.
Finding common ground among leaders with disparate views and objectives on Syria is no simple task, notably with US hardliners pressuring its allies to stick with Washington’s imperial agenda.
After talks concluded Saturday evening local time, leaders addressed reporters and answered questions, showing unity despite widely different agendas on Syria, why conflict keeps raging with no resolution in prospect.
The summit was the first of its kind on Syria, agreed to by Putin and Erdogan last month, Merkel and Macron agreeing to join it.
Countless previous sessions on Syria were held in Geneva, Astana and Sochi, no conflict resolution common ground achieved.
Without consensus from all major countries involved in years of conflict, resolving it is unattainable – Washington’s rage for regime change the main obstacle.
My newest book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
