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Peace still on table in Syria as China scrambles to set up talks

Global Times | 2012-8-15

According to Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Buthaina Shaaban, special envoy for and political and media advisor of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has been invited to Beijing Tuesday. The ministry also stated that it will invite members of the Syrian opposition to come to Beijing on a later date.

These moves are widely believed to be aimed at persuading the Syrian sides to get back to the negotiation table and solve their differences through a political solution. But such hopes suffered a heavy blow after UN Special Envoy Kofi Annan quit his job earlier this month. This has prompted observers to question the effectiveness of China’s mediation efforts.

China’s influence in the Middle East is certainly weaker than other major world powers like the US and Russia. It’s natural that there are doubts on what China can achieve through its talks with the Assad regime and the Syrian opposition. China’s efforts will not bear fruits instantly after just one round of talks.

However, China will keep trying. Solving the Syrian crisis through a political solution has always been China’s position. It will work to explore every possibility, however thin.

Though Annan has left the special envoy post, the UN hasn’t halted its mission. It has been actively seeking a replacement for Annan. The leaders of some Western countries, like French President François Hollande, have also agreed to solve the Syrian crisis through talk rather than war.

For China, a major supporter of the UN mission, its mediation efforts this time are intended to send a bold signal to the international community that the possibility of a political solution is still on the table, and that China is determined to continuously work with the UN to broker such a deal in Syria.

The US and some Western and Gulf countries are now exploring the option of imposing a no-fly zone in Syria, which, as witnessed in Libya, is an important step to enable foreign military intervention. China will need this mediation opportunity to counter that idea and to give undecided countries second thoughts on which approach is more feasible.

There are several issues that will pose serious challenges to efforts to broker a political solution.

First, making a political solution effective will require the cooperation of all parties in Syria. But at this stage, the will to get back to the negotiation table is weak on both sides. They have been pouring more efforts onto the battlefield than in setting up talks, because both believe that victory is within reach. The longer they are at war, the harder it will be for them to talk.

Second, the largely divided opposition makes it difficult for China or the UN to carry out effective mediation work. For instance, there is confusion in China as to which opposition group the Chinese government should make contact with.

While the Syrian National Council, based mainly outside Syria, is widely perceived as a representative of the rebel movement, does it truly have authority over groups and factions that have been operating inside Syria like the Free Syrian Army? Should China’s mediation also include representatives from other opposition groups?

While China is making its efforts, some countries are paving the way for military intervention, including supplying arms. The more weapons the opposition receives, the more confident they grow of an ultimate military triumph.

The opposition will increasingly prefer war over talks, but Assad won’t easily surrender either. This will eventually deadlock both sides in a cycle of conflict, blocking the way to a peaceful solution and risking more people’s lives.

Due to China’s lack of influence and channels to present its argument in full, its struggle to stop bloodshed in Syria has been constantly misinterpreted by some countries that are willing to throw Assad out at any cost and have been actively promoting their stance to the international community.

This will not only undermine China’s effort but even leave China isolated. Chinese policymakers should learn from this, and try to win understanding and support to its stance on Syria through various international platforms.

For instance, China can put forward this issue at developing country-orientated platforms like the Non-Aligned Movement or BRICS.

Most developing countries these days know that political reforms are a much better option than revolution induced by foreign intervention. China’s stance will win support there relatively easily.

By gathering such supports, China will not only find itself better positioned when confronted by similar issues, but also draw more nations to defend the UN principles from being violated by a few super powers.

This article was compiled by Global Times reporter Gao Lei based on an interview with He Wenping, director of the African Studies at the Institute of West Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. leigao@globaltimes.com.cn

August 15, 2012 Posted by | Militarism | , , , , | Leave a comment

Syria Welcomes New UN Resolution, Observers to Arrive Late Sunday

Al-Manar | April 15, 2012

International observers are expected to arrive to Syria late Sunday after the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution authorizing them to contact all the Syrian sides and ensure that they commit to the ceasefire.

The resolution number 2042 permits sending 30 unarmed observers to Syria by late Sunday, to later send the whole delegation which could consist of maximum 250 members.

For its part, Syria welcomed the new UN resolution, considering it serves the benefit of the Syrian people and protects them from the attacks of the armed groups.

Syrian President’s Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban told media Sunday that 30 members of the observer’s mission will first arrive to Syria to sign a cooperation protocol with the Syrian authorities, and later 250 others will arrive.

The approved protocol ensures Syria’s right to object to the nationalities of some observers.

Moreover, Shaaban stressed that “the work of the observers mission will respect Syria’s sovereignty, while the latter is responsible for providing protection for the delegation which, for its part, is supposed to inform the authorities of all its movements inside the Syrian territories.”

The Syrian official also stated that the government has marked 60 violations by armed groups since the ceasefire came to effect.

Earlier on Saturday, Syria’s permanent representative to the UN Bashar Al-Jaafari assured that his country was taking serious steps to fulfill the plan of International Envoy Kofi Annan and its commitment to ceasefire.

Speaking at the UN Security Council Session, Al-Jaafari reiterated Syria’s positive approach to Annan’s mission, and agreed on “the principle of UN observation which respects Syrian sovereignty, and that talks are underway with Annan and his team to formulate a protocol on deploying the observers,” SANA reported.

Moreover, the Syria envoy stated that “Annan’s mission can’t be successful with only the Syrian governmental support… those countries must commit in words and actions to stopping the funding, arming and training of armed groups, refraining from encouraging them in continuing their terrorist acts, and providing safe havens to their members.”

In parallel, Russia and China agreed on passing the resolution, reassuring the importance of a peaceful end to the crisis in Syria.

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin emphasized that his country had rejected foreign intervention and the use of force since the beginning, and rather called for a political solution.

“The draft had gone through radical changes, which makes it more balanced and reflective to the real situation,” Churkin said.

China’s Representative to the UN Security Council, Li Baodong considered that “the Syrian crisis should end peacefully through political dialogue and we encourage creating the appropriate circumstances to open the way for a political solution led by the Syrians themselves.”

April 15, 2012 Posted by | Aletho News | , , , | 1 Comment