The Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey as guarantors of the observance of the ceasefire regime in the Syrian Arab Republic (hereinafter referred to as “Guarantors”):

The declaration of breaking the siege imposed on Deir al-Zour represents a new phase in the history of the Syrian crisis. Most analyses and readings of the event indicate that it is a continuation of the series of field defeats of Daesh [ISIS] terrorist organization. In addition, this event consolidates the appropriate atmosphere for a new advance on the path of the political process, and push it to the stage of direct negotiations between the regime and the opposition, especially as the process goes in parallel with expansion of the de-escalation zones.

Brothers representatives of all parties of the Syrian opposition.
Brothers representatives of the Syrian government delegation.
Gentlemen in the United Nations Special Envoy’s Team to Syria.
Gentlemen representatives of the countries of the "International Syria Support Group".
Gentlemen representatives of the Guarantor States for the de-escalation and cease-fire zones.

Observers of evolution of the Syrian crisis since 2011 have noticed that any hardline position taken by any side has always led to equally hard line ones from the other side, so that the law of action and reaction was the predominant and determining factor in directing the development of events.

The invitation of Moscow and Cairo Platforms [of Syrian opposition] to Riyadh to discuss the formation of one delegation of the Syrian opposition was a new step in securing the necessary elements for the completion of the political process. Regardless of the preliminary results of the meeting and the sharp disagreement that emerged between the platforms on the principles of forming the one delegation. The invitation itself – in its timing, and despite the advance and repeated announcement of the Moscow platform that Riyadh is not the most appropriate place for the meeting – reveals that the new international and regional climate imposes its rhythm on the Syrian scene, and primarily on the political process.

De Mistura is not saying unfounded words The international envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, expected next month to witness the beginning of qualitative changes in the Syrian crisis. De Mistura's statement condenses the summary of international and regional positions and consensuses about the Syrian crisis that were expressed last month, even by the most hardliner countries towards the Syrian file. This reflects the new climate that is taking root at various levels and fields in favor of a political solution.

A consultative meeting between the three opposition platforms - Moscow, Riyadh and Cairo - took place on Monday (August 21st) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of the High Negotiations Committee.

On August 15, 2017, Al-Alam TV channel interviewed Dr. Kadri Jamil, Head of Moscow Platform of Syrian Opposition, and the leader in Change and Liberation Front, and the Secretary of People Will Party. The interview lasted 25 minutes, during which Dr. Kadri spoke about the latest political developments regarding the efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis, and about the de-escalation zones, and the Geneva and Astana talks, and the efforts to form one delegation of the Syrian opposition in preparation for a round of direct negotiations with the delegation of the Syrian Government in Geneva.

One of the most prominent characteristics of a major crisis in history, like the crisis we are experiencing now, is that it usually marks the beginning of a new stage of development of human society – a stage in which “inertia forces” become an obstacle to the necessities of the objective reality, and the road opens for new forces. In other words, it is the time for the old political space to die, and for a new political space to be born on the ruins of the old.

Day after day, more people become convinced of the idea that the countdown for the Syrian crisis has really begun, and that the Syrian political process through Geneva negotiations is about to take a dramatic qualitative turn in the path of negotiation. Among the convinced, there is a wide spectrum of those who had previously doubted the possibility of reaching such a stage.