On Tuesday, April 18, the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (AANES) published a document entitled “An initiative to solve the Syrian crisis”. Those who issued the document called on the various Syrian forces to consider it.
(The following article was originally published in English on geopolitika.ru on the 17th of March 2023)
On Friday, March 10, a historic agreement was announced between Saudi Arabia and Iran, including resumption of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries after an interruption that lasted more than seven years (since January 2016). This agreement was reached through Chinese mediation at the highest levels. The two sides expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jingping personally for his efforts to achieve a settlement between the two countries.
US House of Representatives member Matt Gaetz introduced on February 21 a bill pursuant to the War Powers Resolution of 1973. The brief bill states that “Congress directs the President to remove the United States Armed Forces from Syria by not later than the date that is 15 days after the date of the adoption of this concurrent resolution”. Later, on March 1, Gaetz introduced a modified copy of the bill, in which the period was changed from 15 days to 180 days. The bill is still in the early stages, where it has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and it has not yet been put to vote.
It has now been three weeks since the earthquake catastrophe. While the space the disaster occupies in the media and politically is gradually receding, the reality reveals every day new depths of the disaster, as well as tremendous pain and suffering that is crushing the bones of (survivors), if it is correct to describe those who were not killed by the earthquake as survivors.
(The following article was originally published on geopolitika.ru website)
On Tuesday, February 14, a Russian MFA media release about a meeting between Mikhail Bogdanov, the Special Representative of the Russian President, and Kadri Jamil, one of the Syrian Opposition leaders, stated: “the Russian side stressed the need to establish practical cooperation between Damascus and Ankara in order to overcome the consequences of the earthquake on February 6.”
This statement confirms Russia’s pursuit of a Syrian-Turkish settlement, which over the seven months preceding the earthquake, was the main item on the agenda of the Astana Format (for Syria peace talks).
Nearly two weeks after the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey, seismographs are still recording aftershocks that usually occur after every major earthquake, the strength of which gradually decreases until it fades away. This is the opposite of what is happening on the humanitarian level, where the strength of the aftershocks increases on the humanitarian side in all the areas affected by the earthquake, especially those in Syria.
For the Syrian public, inside and outside Syria, the humanitarian aspect related to the earthquake disaster and the deep pain it left behind, as well as to their crisis that erupted 12 years ago, is always the most valued and important aspect, at least in its emotional and national side. For the political sides, especially the extremists, as well as for the external powers, especially the Western ones, the humanitarian aspect is the least important, and it is just a tool to pass policies.
(The following article was originally published by CGTN, on the 17th of February 2023)
The U.S. Treasury announced a decision on February 9 claiming to allow an easing of sanctions imposed on Syria for the ensuing six months until August 8, as part of "earthquake relief efforts."
The decision allows for "third parties" to transfer aid to Syria without fear of U.S. sanctions, but should only be intended for aid to earthquake-effected areas. Nonetheless, the sanctions programs applied to Syria for many years, the most severe of which are the Caesar Act (2019) and Captagon Act (2022), provide for "humanitarian exceptions," but are conditional on U.S. approval.
It remains unknown how many Syrians are still under the rubble, and they are hundreds, maybe thousands, and maybe more. It is not known who among them is still alive, but there are certainly some waiting to be saved and are still to this moment groaning under the rubble of their homes.
Syrians want an immediate and urgent solution; they want an end to the catastrophe and the trail of pains they are treading. It is no longer important for them to even think about why things have gotten to the way they have. All they think about is how to get to salvation.
