Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad had told him he was ready to talk to armed Opposition groups if they are genuinely committed to dialogue and to combating Islamic State.
Speaking a day after Mr Assad made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Mr Putin – underlining Moscow’s new role as a central player in Syria’s conflict – Mr Putin said the two men had talked about the need for a political solution.
Some Western governments have portrayed Russia as an obstacle to a political deal, especially since it started air strikes on Islamist groups in Syria opposed to Mr Assad, including some backed by the United States and its allies. But Mr Putin said he believed that the military operation in Syria could create the right conditions for progress in talks on the future of the country.
“I will pull open the curtain a little on my talks with President Assad,” Mr Putin said at a forum in the Russian resort of Sochi yesterday evening.
Putin insists that Syria’s leadership can only be decided by the people, via transparent elections
“I asked him: ‘What view would you take if we found, now in Syria, an armed opposition which nonetheless was ready to oppose and really fight against terrorists, against Islamic State? What would be your view if we were to support their efforts in fighting Islamic State in the same way we are supporting the Syrian army?’,” Mr Putin said.
“He answered: ‘I would view that positively’,” Mr Putin said of Mr Assad.
The Russian President went on: “We are now thinking about this and are trying, if it works out, to reach these agreements.”
Mr Putin also said that, at the root of the Syrian conflict was not just Islamist militancy but also internal tensions – a recognition that at least some of the people who rebelled against Assad’s rule had a legitimate grievance.
Russia has rejected Western calls for Mr Assad to step down. Yesterday, Mr Putin repeated his view that Syria’s leadership could only be decided by the Syrian people, not outside powers, via transparent elections. Meanwhile also yesterday Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said, ahead of a meeting with his US, Russian and Turkish counterparts, that Russia's actions in Syria are fuelling the country's war, which can only be ended with an unconditional exit of President Bashar al-Assad,
“We believe that the Russian interference in Syria is very dangerous because it exacerbates the conflict,” Mr Jubeir told reporters in Vienna, adding the Saudis had made this clear to the Russians.
Russia’s air force has flown over 780 sorties against almost 800 targets in Syria since September 30.
“We believe that it will be viewed as Russia inserting itself in a sectarian conflict in the Middle East. We’re concerned that this will trigger emotions in the Muslim world that will cause an increase in fighters to go to Syria.”
Almost 80 per cent of Russia’s declared targets in Syria have been in areas not held by Islamic State, a Reuters analysis of Russian Defence Ministry data shows, undermining Moscow's assertions that its aim is to defeat the group.
When asked whether Mr Assad could play a role in any Syrian interim government Mr Jubeir said: “His role would be to leave Syria... The best case scenario is that we wake up in the morning and Bashar al-Assad is not there.”