Astana Talks Stall Over Safe Zones

Talks between Russia, Turkey and Iran over a solution to the war in Syria, including the policing and delineation of the four previously agreed “descalation zones,” have hit an impasse, according to Russia’s chief negotiator Alexander Lavrentiev, reports Al Jazeera.

The Russian representative admitted on Wednesday that the logistics of how the four zones would operate still “need finalizing” following two days of negotiations in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.

Lavrentiev added that there had been no definitive agreement about “which specific forces” would police the zones, following reports that members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) would be called upon by Moscow to deploy protection forces in the safe zones.

The three main countries behind the talks have already agreed to hold the next round of discussions in Astana in the final week of August.

Tillerson: U.S. Ready to Work With Russia Over Syria

U.S Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has revealed the Trump administration is considering cooperating with Russia in a bid to stabilize operations in Syria, including agreeing to the creation of no-fly zones, deploying cease-fire observers, and coordinating the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid, reports the Washington Post.

Tillerson issued the statement on Thursday before heading to the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, to join President Donald Trump, where the U.S. leader will also have his first face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Describing U.S. relations with Russia as being “at a very low point,” Tillerson added: “At this point it’s very difficult to say what Russia’s intentions are in this relationship. And I think that’s the most important part of this meeting is to have a good exchange between President Trump and President Putin over what they both see as the nature of this relationship between our two countries.”

“Our military leaders have communicated clearly with one another to make sure no accidents occur between our two countries in the Syrian theater,” Tillerson continued. “This cooperation over [the] deconfliction zones process is evidence that our two nations are capable of further progress.”

YPG: Turkish Military Movements Are ‘Declaration of War’

The deployment of Turkish military units near Kurdish-held areas of northwestern Syria are a “declaration of war,” according to the head of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia on Wednesday, adding that their proximity to Kurdish forces could trigger conflict in a matter of days.

Reuters reports that YPG commander Sipan Hemo has accused Turkey of preparing for a significant military push in the northern Syria areas of Aleppo and Afrin, saying: “These [Turkish] preparations have reached level of a declaration of war and could lead to the outbreak of actual clashes in the coming days. We will not stand idly by against this potential aggression.”

Turkey’s deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus retorted: “This is not a declaration of war. We are making preparations against potential threats. Their primary goal is a threat to Turkey, and if Turkey sees a YPG movement in northern Syria that is a threat to it, it will retaliate in kind.”

The ramping up of rhetoric between the two forces – both ostensibly U.S. allies – could potentially undermine the significant gains the YPG has enjoyed against the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) in northern Syria as the main operator in the U.S.-backed SDF (Syria Democratic Forces).

Recommended Reads:

• The Independent: British Actor Michael Enright Quits Hollywood to Fight Isis in Syria
• New York Times: Russia Deploys a Potent Weapon in Syria: The Profit Motive
• Human Rights Watch: The Forgotten Chemical Attacks in Syria
• Al Jazeera: Inside Syria’s Civil War: Arms and Resistance in Jobar