This weekend’s Vienna talks on Syria are expected to center largely on deciding which Syrian factions are “rebels” to be invited to future rounds of talks, and which are “terrorists” to be excluded. All the nations involved are said to be pushing different lists for the decision.
Russian Deputy FM Mikhail Bogdanov, however, says that the US and Russian lists are in large measure the same, suggesting the disagreements aren’t nearly as broad as anticipated. Bogdanov added that several factions within the Free Syrian Army (FSA) are being urged to join the process by Russia.
Russia was supportive of inviting rebel factions to the Vienna talks in general, hoping to court them into their long-proposed unity government. So far there hasn’t been much support for that plan, but getting factions invited to the talks may give them some goodwill toward Russia and change their minds.
Other nations involved in the talks may still have wildly different terror lists for Syria, however, with Saudi Arabia expected to object to the inclusion of some of the larger Islamist factions’ inclusion as terror groups, since they’ve been openly backing them throughout the civil war. Turkey, on the other hand, is expected to push heavily to include Kurdish groups like the YPG on the list, even though both the US and Russia have been helping them.
Goodwill towards Russia is indeed the name of the game. Never lose sight of the fact that Putin doesn't care one whit about Syria or who governs it. He's just trying to hang on to his militarily useless naval base and hopes that his American supporters will knobble their own country's government in his favour. And he now has another domestic problem in addition to the airliner: "Russia's athletics federation has been provisionally suspended from international competition – including the Olympic Games – for its alleged involvement in widespread doping" (BBC). Sport is hugely popular in Europe, where people are often indifferent to politics, and it covers all groups in society. Instead of the usual arrogant nose-thumbing, Russian politicians are running around frantically trying to limit the damage and swearing high and holy that everything will be put right. Thus, loss of the prestige object in Syria could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Jesus, Michael. Like the US has only the Syrian people in mind? EVERY country backing either side has their own agenda, including Russia. Which is why I object to their involvement as well!