Syrian Opposition Rejects Moscow Talks, Dimming Prospects for Peace

The New York Times reports on the wane of the latest Syrian peace effort, as key opposition figures rejected Russia’s invitation to preliminary talks in Moscow on January 26.

Russia has been working for several months to arrange a meeting aimed at relaunching a new peace process between the Syrian government and members of its fractured opposition.

“But in recent days, several leading opposition figures, apparently doubting Russia’s credibility as a mediator, said they would not attend, undermining the initiative,” the paper writes.

Among them is Moaz Khatib, the former leader of the main opposition Syrian National Coalition. “We don’t have the conditions for the success of this meeting,” he said.

Analysts tell Syria Deeply that the time is ripe for a political deal, citing growing signs of regime fragility and a perpetually hobbled opposition.

Two rounds of U.N.-led talks between the Syrian government and opposition leaders failed to arrive at a political solution, with both sides unable to come to a consensus over the fate of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad.

In Global Security Risk, Up to 5,000 Europeans Fighting for Militant Groups in Syria

Up to 5,000 Europeans have joined militant groups fighting in Syria, posing a risk to their home countries, the head of Europe’s police organization Europol said on Tuesday, AFP reports.

“We’re dealing with a large body of mainly young men who … have the potential or intent and capability to carry out attacks we have seen in Paris in the last week,” Europol Director Rob Wainwright warned.

“The problem we are dealing with these days is not just about Syria and Iraq; it is about other terrorist networks around the world … that have franchise movements of the al-Qaida brand,” Wainwright told a British parliamentary committee.

European security officials have long warned of the threat of radicalized fighters returning to their countries of origin. Wainright said Europol had a database of 2,500 suspects, based on intelligence from various E.U. countries. He added that 3,000-5,000 E.U. nationals could come back with the intent to carry out violent attacks.

“The reality is, today the security authorities don’t have the necessary capability, I think, to fully protect society from these kind of threats,” Wainwright concluded.

U.N. Aid Chief Urges More Intervention in Humanitarian Emergencies, Cites Syria as an Example

Valerie Amos, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, suggested more intervention in humanitarian emergencies was necessary in light of blatant violations of international law around the world. She cited Syria as an example, saying the country was asserting its sovereignty rights to prevent the delivery of aid to civilians.

The Security Council has had to adopt two resolutions authorizing cross-border aid into Syria, in an attempt to reach more than 12 million people in need of assistance.

“I don’t think that the Syrian government has ever forgiven me. They see me as personally responsible for pushing the Security Council to agree to those resolutions,” Amos told the Council of Foreign Relations in New York.

She noted the failure of the U.N. Security Council to get earlier humanitarian access in Syria.

“Perhaps we could have pressured the Security Council earlier to get the resolutions that we did,” she said.

Recommended Reads:

• Foreign Policy: Amid Raging Violence in Syria, Lebanese Sunnis Turn Back on Islamic State
• Al Jazeera: Assad’s Crumbling Presidency
• Foreign Affairs: Syria’s Democracy Jihad
• Middle East Eye: Syria’s Raqqa Marks First Anniversary of IS Takeover
• Al Arabiya: Coalition Strikes Pound ISIS Targets in Syria, Iraq
• Al Monitor: Sunni- Alawite Couples in Syria Defy Sectarianism