U.S., Russia Talk Syria in Bali, Plan November Peace Conference. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met on the sidelines of an Asian economic conference in Bali, to make progress on peace talks to end Syria’s war.
“We support holding this conference in mid-November,” said Lavrov, as quoted in the Russian press. “Today we have agreed on measures to ensure that both the [Syrian] government and the opposition attend the conference.”
Assad Interview with Der Spiegel: “Even Presidents Make Mistakes.” Syria’s president spoke to Germany’s leading newspaper, admitting he’s made mistakes but keeping to his long-held narrative – that the revolution is the product of outside forces and backing the rebels is tantamount to backing al-Qaida.
Between that interview and statements from Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil, the regime has sounded a softer and more conciliatory towards its opponents, says the New York Times.
“The Syrian regime is the hero of lost opportunities,” said Jamil, lamenting the steps his government failed to take, toward reform and reconciliation. “It is tragedy.”
U.N. Begins Dismantling Syria’s Chemical Weapons
“International disarmament experts on Sunday began dismantling and destroying Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal and the equipment used to produce it, taking the first concrete step in their colossal task of eliminating the country’s chemical stockpile by mid-2014,” the Washington Post reports, citing an official. Secretary of State John Kerry gave Bashar al-Assad credit for facilitating the progress.
The plan includes “a series of rapid steps to dismantle Syria’s chemical weapons program, a strategy that is intended to guard against backsliding by President Bashar al-Assad and limit the time that international experts need to work in the country,” reports Michael R. Gordon at the New York Times. The AP outlined more details on the state of the mission; the Christian Science Monitor also has a thorough rundown.
Christians in the Crossfire. The Washington Post ran a weekend piece on the new threat to Syria’s Christian community, as extremists take hold of power in pockets of the north.
“While the primary front in the war has pitted Sunni against Shiite, Christians are increasingly caught in the line of fire,” writes Loveday Morris. “The perception that they support the government — which is in many cases true — has long made them a target of rebel groups. Now, Christians say radical Islamist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), an affiliate of al-Qaeda, are determined to drive them from their homes.”
The rash of assaults has led some to question the future of Christianity in Syria, where adherents make up about 10 percent of the population. Syria’s ruling Assad family, which belongs to the Alawite sect, has long painted itself as the protector of Syria’s minorities.
Suggested Reads from Our Editorial Team:
TIME: Forget Chemical Weapons, Assad Regime Uses Starvation as Tactic Against Rebels
The Independent: U.N. Expects Four Million More Syrians to Flee Next Year
WSJ: Kerry, Lavrov Focus on Syria Peace Effort
The Telegraph: Charity Cash “Going to Terrorist Groups”
Reuters: Turkey Building Wall on Syrian Border
AP: Syrian Troops Reopen Key Road Link to Aleppo