Sochi: Iran, Russia & Turkey Talk Syria. Refugee Returns & Idlib

I'd hoped to get this post up immediately after the one from Wednesday

Russia Seeks US Help in Returning Syrian Refugees

Russia and company want the Syrian refugees to return home.The UN looks to be putting up roadblocks- despite the fact that the right to return is a given.Or is that just for the tribe and Israel ?More accurately it should be said the entire anglo-zionist 5/6 eyes institution doesn’t want the Syrians to go back home- Russia, Syria and Turkey definitely want this to occur.Resist calls to return refugees to Syria- Chatham House

"In the run-up to the recent Lebanese parliamentary elections, some prominent politicians highlighted refugee return as part of their electoral campaign platforms. This coincided with the orchestration of the forced return of 500 Syrian refugees on 18 April from Shebaa in southern Lebanon. Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil rejected the idea that returns must be linked with a political solution in Syria, and dismissed a statement from the UN and EU which warned that Syria is not safe for returning refugees."

UN  UNHCR emphasizes importance that returns meet international standards

"UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, participating in the Astana-format meeting on Syria in Sochi, Russian Federation, had today the opportunity to share its views on voluntary repatriation.UNHCR underlined its firm commitment to Syrian refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) to help them to exercise their right to return voluntarily, in safety and dignity, and to participate actively in the building of peace in their county."

And who decides what those standards are? I look at it this way.. if the Syrians want to go home, they choose to go home, then they should go home!  Their choice. Their decision It’s been very obvious for some time now that the Usrael/UK/ 6 eyes nations don’t want the Syrians to return home.Additionaly

  1. YayaCanada.caAugust 4, 2018 at 10:06 AMWith regard to Russia and the Syrian refugees, the below article came out a day after your posting:Russian MoD accuses countries of hindering return of Syrian refugees for financial gainhttps://www.almasdarnews.com/article/russian-mod-accuses-countries-of-h…“This issue is mostly based on the desire to keep receiving financial support from international funds and contributing countries for accommodating Syrian refugees and keep using them as a low-paid workforce,” ...Delete
  2. PennyAugust 5, 2018 at 8:53 AMHey YayaI wouldn't doubt that one bit!This was something I did have some information on..but never got toI see Lebanon and Jordan being mentioned..

TASS

"Almost 900,000 refugees can return to Syria in coming months — Russian Defense MinistryLebanon’s refugee centers have received around 10,000 applications from Syrian refugeesAround 890,000 Syrian citizens can return to their home country in the coming months, Head of Russia’s National Defense Control Center Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev said on Friday."According to data provided by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, about 890,000 civilians are expected to return to Syria in the coming months," Mizintsev said at a meeting of the interdepartmental coordination headquarters supervising the return of refugees to Syria"

Finally, IdlibWhere there is this idea, being presented, that Syria will take Idlib back by force!I do not think this is realistic. Or necessary.  Not at this time, anyway.Considering their are three Astana partners involved in the process. Here's hoping Idlib can be resolved diplomatically.The fate of Idlib is discussed at Sochi

 On Tuesday, the three countries sponsoring the Astana political process — Turkey, Russia and Iran — met in Sochi after the end of the first day of the tenth Astana talks which saw bilateral meetings between the participating sides.The current session is allocated to discuss the de-escalation zone agreement in Idleb and the risks and violations related to it, as well as the issue of prisoners and a special working group for the issue, the constitutional committee, and the return of refugees which was proposed by Russia.Al-Modon’s sources said that those in attendance first discussed a proposal about carrying out a prisoner exchange operation between the opposition and the regime in preparation for a broader exchange as a goodwill measure. However sources said that the proposal was not yet approved and that it would be discussed on the sidelines of the second day of this round, and that it could be approved in an official document.The Head of the Russian delegation to the Sochi conference, Alexander Lavrentiev, has previously said that the issue of forming the Syrian constitutional committee was gradually moving forward and has called for there to be no barriers imposed on refugees returning to their country.

Kaztag

Almaty. August 1. KazTAG - According to the head of the delegation of the Syrian opposition Ahmed Tom progress has been made on exchange with prisoners in Syria, TASS reports."At the meeting, an initiative was announced to exchange with a certain number of detainees. We are waiting for the lists for exchange from the Syrian government, "A. Tom said at a press conference on Tuesday following the meeting under the Astana format in Sochi.The Syrian opposition also positively assessed the situation in the de-escalation zone near Idlib."We discussed first of all the Idlib problem. We want to note that measures have been taken there to lower tensions, this process is generally going well. We want this zone of de-escalation to become a zone of complete ceasefire," he said.At the same time, he added that security in this region is provided mainly thanks to the presence of observers from Turkey, whom he called allies.

 There are news articles making the rounds claiming that Turkey is forming an army of  rebels to rid Idlib of identified terrorists. And that Russia is on the same page with this plan. Pretty sure Syria is on board or at the very least aware of any plan regarding Idlib.AlJazeera: Russia appears to be giving Turkey a chance to stabilise opposition-controlled northwestern province.TASS

In accordance with the reconciliation agreement, militants from radical armed groups who refused to surrender to Syrian government forces in Aleppo, Homs and Eastern Ghouta (near Damascus) where counterterrorism operations were conducted were evacuated to the Idlib province via the humanitarian corridors. Members of the irreconcilable armed groups from southern Syria, specifically, Daraa and Quneitra currently travel to that region.In 2017, the Idlib province became part of the northern de-escalation zone, which is Turkey’s area of responsibility. Turkey, along with Russia and Iran, is a guarantor nation of the Syrian ceasefire within the framework of the Astana process.

According to the expert, "while eliminating the terrorist enclave in Idlib, [the Syrian army] also needs to take into account the presence of the Kurds and Americans in the northeast."More:http://tass.com/defense/1015114

According to the expert, "while eliminating the terrorist enclave in Idlib, [the Syrian army] also needs to take into account the presence of the Kurds and Americans in the northeast."

The bigger problem for Syria is still the east. And all those US military bases. Which seems to be ignored in all the chatter about SAA attacking Idlib.From earlier today:

NATO's Dwindling "Peace Dividend"- Cognitive Dissonance is Us

And information that's being ignored because it doesn't fit a very questionable narrative.

Pakistan Considers Mass Privitization Drive As It Seeks IMF Bail out!

The Idlib province was captured by armed groups and al-Nusra terrorists in 2015. In accordance with the reconciliation agreement, militants from radical armed groups who refused to surrender to Syrian government forces in Aleppo, Homs and Eastern Ghouta (near Damascus) where counterterrorism operations were conducted were evacuated to the Idlib province via the humanitarian corridors. Members of the irreconcilable armed groups from southern Syria, specifically, Daraa and Quneitra currently travel to that region.In 2017, the Idlib province became part of the northern de-escalation zone, which is Turkey’s area of responsibility. Turkey, along with Russia and Iran, is a guarantor nation of the Syrian ceasefire within the framework of the Astana process.More:http://tass.com/defense/1015114