Russia proposes Syria conflict conference
FRANCE: Russia is proposing the organisation of a conference bringing
together “all the players” of the deadly Syria conflict, including
opposition groups, citizens and the ruling regime, a top official told a
French newspaper.
“We are proposing to our Western partners the organisation of a 'Taif
conference' between all the players of the conflict,” Russian deputy
foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Le Figaro in an article to appear
Wednesday.
He was referring to an agreement signed in the Saudi city that
brought the end of the Lebanon civil war in 1990.
“This conference should bring together opposition and regime figures
as well as Christian, Alawite and Druze community members,” Bogdanov
added.
“Given the opposition divisions and the weapons reaching the rebels,
the risk of a Somalia-isation of Syria is real, if the regime were to
suddenly collapse tomorrow. According to Le Figaro, the Russian official
was in Paris over the weekend, where he met French diplomats and Syrian
opposition figures.
The Taif agreement was signed October 22, 1989 by Muslim lawmakers
and Lebanese Christians to end the 15-year civil war.
Bombardments by troops saw fighting ground to a standstill on Tuesday
in Syria's second city Aleppo, a watchdog said, amid reports a civilian
refuge was targeted in the same province.
Water supplies were largely restored in the northern city three days
after a main pipeline was ruptured during clashes between government
forces and rebel fighters, witnesses and the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights said.
The Britain-based Observatory reported shelling attacks on the Aleppo
neighbourhoods of Haidariyeh, Hanano, Meyseer and Shaar overnight, and
that one rebel had been killed in the fighting.
“The rebels have been trying for three days to enter Midan (in
central Aleppo). Last night the army launched an operation and pushed
them north, back toward Bustan al-Basha,” a resident told AFP on the
phone. In the town of As-Safira, “mortar fire from an air defence
battalion targeted residential buildings and a school, where many
refugees from disaster-stricken areas sought refuge.
AFP
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