The Syria Peace Talks: When the “International Community” Supports Terrorism
by Dr. Ismail Salami
Global Research
Jan 27, 2014
A five-minute audio message by al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri went viral on the internet in which he enjoins the rebels in Syria to end their infighting and focus their energies on battling against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
A veritable testimony to the fact that the militants fighting against Bashar al-Assad are affiliated to the terrorist al-Qaeda and as a result, they are stripped of any cloak of legitimacy, it further reinforces the notion that there is more than meets the eye in Syria.
Interestingly, the warring factions decided to patch up their differences and sit down at the negotiating table once they heard their leader’s bezels of wisdom.
The negotiations started on Wednesday in an ambience charged with vitriol and spite. While Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem was trying to clarify the real situation in Syria and give a “Syrian version of facts,” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon interrupted him and tried to deny him the chance to continue with his speech.
The western media say that he had exceeded his time and that he should not have clashed with the UN head but the fact is that they had gathered together to resolve a Syrian crisis which has been largely engineered by the West and the al-Qaeda elements. In other words, they were there to resolve a West-fomented crisis and the Syrian foreign minister was utterly entitled to finish his speech.
Here’s the exchange:
Ban: Can you just wrap up please.
Moallem: I came here after 12 hours in the airplane. I have few more minutes to end my speech. This is Syria.
Ban: How much do you have left now?
Moallem: I think 5-10 minutes.
Ban: No, no. I will give you another opportunity to speak.
Moallem: No, I cannot divide my speech. I must continue … I will do my best to be fast.
Ban: Can you just wrap up in one or two minutes?
Moallem: No, I can’t promise you, I must finish my speech. … You live in New York, I live in Syria. I have the right to give the Syrian version here in this forum. After three years of suffering, this is my right.
Ban: We have to have some constructive and harmonious dialogue, please refrain from inflammatory rhetoric.
Moallem: It is constructive, I promise you, let me finish.
Ban: Within 2-3 minutes please. I will give you another opportunity.
Moallem: You spoke for 25 minutes, at least I need to speak 30 minutes.
The talks do not seem to yield any fruits as there is a substantial gap between what the government of Bashar al-Assad demands and what the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) and its Western allies want. The opposition group insists that President Bashar al-Assad must relinquish power and that a transitional government be formed in Syria.
Geneva II: Lavrov, “No Deal With Terrorists Under Any Circumstance”
nsnbc international
Jan 26, 2014
Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) : Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized Russia’s red line with regards to terrorism, saying that “a dialog with terrorist groups fighting in Syria will not be held under any circumstance”. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani backed up Russia’s position in an interview on CNN, saying that “the first step for solving the crisis in Syria lies in expelling terrorists”. Meanwhile, UN/AL envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi has held talks with both the Syrian government’s and the foreign-backed opposition and indicates that talks continue in Geneva on Monday.
In February 2013 a US veto to a Russian sponsored UN Security Council resolution, condemning all forms of terrorism, regardless by whom and under which circumstances they are being committed, threw the two partners for peace into a state of diplomatic deep freeze.
Rusia drafted the resolution, following a devastating terrorist attack in Damascus, and Lavrov responded to the US veto by blasting the US administration for double standards.
On Sunday, in Geneva, the Russian Foreign Minister underlined Russia’s red line with regards to terrorism, saying:
“A dialog with terrorist groups fighting in Syria will not be held under any circumstance. … We refuse holding a dialog with terrorist groups, it is against our principles, and we wouldn’t advise others to do that. … The negotiation process has no room for groups like Jabhat al-Nusrah, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and other branches of the al-Qaeda organization. … Finding a solution for the humanitarian crisis in Syria will be sure to promote confidence in the Geneva II negotiations”.
Sergei Lavrov recalled the words of the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, at the 2013 G8 summit in Northern Ireland, when Cameron called for addressing the Syrian government and the opposition for cooperation in eradicating terrorism from Syria.
Lavrov emphasized, that considering the scale of the terrorism that is endemic to Syria and Iraq, the eradication of it must be considered a prime priority. Without mentioning the United States in particular, the Russian Foreign Minister deconstructed recent attempts of the US administration to position certain of the terrorist organizations as good or moderate and worth supporting, while positioning others as radical and extremist, by including both the ISIS and “any other al-Qaeda brigades” in his denunciation of terrorism.
5 Things You Need to Know About the Iran-U.S. Deal Over Nuclear Program
Conscious Life News
November 26, 2013
The interim deal over the nuclear energy program marks a new era for U.S.-Iran relations.The West has long believed that Iran’s enrichment program is a cover for building a nuclear weapon, which Iran denies. Both U.S. and Israeli intelligence have concluded that the political decision to make a weapon has not been made by the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. The Obama administration hailed the deal as one that would halt progress towards becoming a nuclear weapons state.
“Simply put, [the negotiators] cut off Iran’s most likely paths to a bomb,” said President Obama in a speech after the deal was signed.
It marked a new era for U.S.-Iran relations. After decades of mistrust, complete with a shadow war waged around the world, the U.S. and Iran came together to talk and hash out their differences. While the deal is only an interim one, it buys six months of time in order to negotiate an even more far-reaching accord. It also sparked intense opposition from members of Congress and Israel.
Here’s what you should know about the deal that was inked in Geneva on Saturday night:
VIDEO — First footage: Aftermath as powerful blasts rock Iranian embassy in Beirut
RT
November 19, 2013
Two blasts near the Iranian embassy in Beirut killed at least 23 people, injuring 146 and causing havoc and massive fire in the Lebanese capital. Six buildings were reportedly destroyed in the embassy compound. READ MORE: http://on.rt.com/038ycv
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VIDEO — Iran unveils attack drone dubbed Shahed-129
RT
September 28, 2013
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has unveiled an attack drone, capable of carrying missiles and described as the unit’s “most sophisticated” so far. The Guard’s website, sepahnews.com, says General Mohammad Ali Jafari unveiled the drone on Friday. He is quoted as saying the all-Iranian-made drone is a strategic asset in protecting the nation’s borders. The website says the drone, dubbed Shahed-129, or Witness-129, can fly up to a distance of 1,700 kilometres (1,062 miles), which puts much of the Middle East within its range. It says the drone has a 24-hour non-stop flight capability, can carry eight bombs or missiles, and hit both fixed and moving targets.
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VIDEO — US seizes Iranian-controlled NY skyscraper despite promises of dialogue
RT
September 19, 2013
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani pledged a completely peaceful nuclear future for his country. The statement has been generally welcomed by the international community, and is seen as a step by Tehran towards a more moderate stance on the global political arena. But as RT’s Marina Portnaya reports, some of Washington’s actions could jeopardize the prospect of open dialogue.
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VIDEO — All-Out War? Iran vows ‘immediate destruction’ of Israel if Syria attacked
RT
August 30, 2013
The likelihood of military strikes around Syria has put its neighbors on high alert, and as RT’s Paula Slier reports, some worry it could be the catalyst for a large-scale regional war.
Follow LIVE UPDATES on Syria ‘chemical weapons’ crisis: http://on.rt.com/0yh5ju
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