Syrian delegation blasts Turkey’s refusal to accept de-escalation zones: video

Bashar Al-Ja’afari’s translated speech after the Astana Peace Talks:

“These Syrian efforts, unfortunately, as you are aware, and as you may have noticed just now, we came out with the modest result after being in Astana for three days.

“These efforts collided with counter efforts – so to speak – by a main part who is, unfortunately, one of the guarantors in these meetings, and I mean the Turkish part.”

The stance of the Turkish delegation was negative since the beginning of the Astana track. This negativity was translated into the modest results we listened to just now.”

“I say ‘modest’ because we came to Astana and the agenda of the fifth round was specifically to conclude the details of the agreement over the de-escalation zones, and the mechanisms of implementing the agreement over the four de-escalation zones.”

“The Turkish side opposed this and practised a policy of blackmail against this subject, which is the main subject of the agenda, and also against other documents that the parties intended to adopt.”

“This is why I cannot say but that the Turkish delegation, unfortunately, for the fifth time sought with all their might to hinder reaching positive results that could practically serve the interests of the Syrian people.”

 

“I wouldn’t go that far by calling the very modest result as a ‘failure’, but I would say that contrary to the positive standpoint taken by all the parties except by the Turkish delegation, there has been an indication that the Turkish policy towards the Astana process has been a negative policy and that negativity in the Turkish policy process resulted in the modest outcome of Astana Five.”

“I am saying that because the Turkish delegation objected to the adoption of any document related to the implementation of mechanisms of the agreement on the de-escalation zones.”