Merkel Says Assad Must Have Role In Syria Talks

[Purveyor]

Source: Deutsche Welle

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be involved in peace talks to end the Syrian war. Her words come as the West shows signs of softening its stance towards the leader.

Date 24.09.2015

Efforts to end the conflict in Syria must reach out to Assad, as well as other regional players, including allies of the Syrian leader, Merkel said on Thursday.

"We have to speak with many actors, this includes Assad, but others as well," Merkel said in a press conference at the end of the EU summit. "Not only with the United States of America, Russia, but with important regional partners, Iran, and Sunni countries such as Saudi Arabia."

In late August, Merkel had said she would welcome Iran - which like Russia has given Assad its backing - playing a part in the discussions. Most Western countries have sought to exclude Iran from talks on Syria. Iran is viewed as one of Assad's strongest allies.

This month the chancellor also spoke of the need to engage with Russia on Syria. Moscow appeared to step up deliveries of military equipment to the pro-Assad side in recent weeks. Russia has built up its own military presence, including heavy equipment, fuelling fears that its support of Assad may help prolong the conflict.

Read more: http://www.dw.com/en/merkel-says-assad-must-have-role-in-syria-talks/a-18736427

[kelliekat44]

1. Sounds like Merkel has learned lessons from Iraq and Libya. nt

[pampango]

2. For the sake of the Syrian people it is time to admit that Assad has handled the opposition to his

rule more effectively than Ben Ali, Gaddafi and Mubarak did to their opposition.

By pushing his country into civil war, something the others could not or would not do, he has won. Merkel is apparently coming to this conclusion. Others should admit as much, support Assad as the best alternative to ISIS, bring the civil war to a close, allow him to remain as dictator indefinitely and hope the next generation of Syrians can do better.

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. I'm just a trifle more optimistic than you are.

Negotiations to end the war will require concessions of some sort from the regime to the opposition. Assad will need to bring someone/something from the opposition into the government.

Hell, it might even be a smart move to call for a unity government or coalition against the religious crazies. Just because you're a Sunni doesn't mean you like ISIS or Al Nusra.

[Lychee2]

4. Assad is a smart man.

His life-plan was to be an ophthalmologist, which he studied in London after getting his MD in 1988. Then in '94, his elder brother Bassel was killed in a car crash, so the role of successor fell on Bashar. He's a reluctant dictator, but a smart one.

[Lychee2]

8. ^^THIS^^ +1.

That sums it up, I think.

[Xithras]

5. Assad has already agreed to step down by 2021, six years from now.

The 2012 Constitution, approved fairly early in the rebellion, strips the Ba'ath party of exclusive power and limits Assad's position to two 7 year terms. He agreed that the 7 year term he was serving at the time of the change would be the first term, and after his re-election in 2014 (the election was only held in Assad strongholds for obvious reasons, so he won handily) he is now serving his second term. He's stated repeatedly since then that he'll abide by the new constitution and step down in 2021, so long as "the Syrian people are in control of the nation and a democratic vote can be taken in all cities".

There's no way to know if he'll actually abide by the constitution when that date eventually rolls around, but it looks a bit promising so far. The opposition used the new constitution to seize a third of the seats in the Syrian parliament last year.

[Lychee2]

6. Interesting post.

+1.