Diplomacy

Syria: Between Kriegsdrohungen and the search for a turning point

World war! This is a big, dangerous word. During the Syria discussions in the contact group, and prior to the security conference in Munich, Germany warns Russia’s Prime Minister Medvedev just before that: world war! Where is the solution?

Pithy Words: Russia’s Prime Minister Medvedev

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A “world war” is likely in the case of the deployment of Western or Arab ground troops to Syria, said the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Ground troops would Suffer in Syria to indefinitely extend, he told the “Handelsblatt”. In view of the many different warring parties in Syria, said Medvedev for negotiations as the sole option to end the conflict. And it connected with a sharp warning: “All sides need to be forced to the negotiating table to take a seat, instead of a new world war trigger.”

Also at the refugee policy of Germany and the European Union had Medvedev not good hair. “The European migration policy is completely failed. Everything is very terrible,” he said. The Russian Prime Minister called it a completely incalculable security risk, hundreds of thousands of refugees largely uncontrolled by the EU to wander. Many of the refugees came, however, because of the high support payments to Germany, other than terrorists, said Medvedev. The Russian Prime Minister called in the run-up to the Munich security conference (MSC) close cooperation between Russia and the West in security and Terrorfragen.

17 States and a war

Also in the run-up to the MSC, representatives from 17 States in Munich started a ceasefire in Syria to wrestle. Russia’s foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov came up with his US colleague, John Kerry. Also on the occasion, it became clear that the Moscow government has not subdued in the debate over a solution in Syria will occur. From US-Diplomatenkreisen it was said that Washington beharre on an “immediate ceasefire”.

The UN special envoy, Staffan de Mistura

The Syria contact group includes, in addition 17 States of the United Nations, the Arab League and the European Union. In Munich, held alongside Kerry and Lavrov already German foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD), the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on. Organized the talks by the foreign office in Berlin.

The fronts between the Syrian government, whose armed forces of Russia with air strikes will be supported, and their enemies are hardened. In particular, in the province of Aleppo, took the violence in the past few days a massive. Peace talks in the Swiss city of Geneva were recently at the end of the month was postponed.

What we need here is something like a breakthrough,” said German foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier before the start of the negotiations in Munich, and warned of a further escalation. “If it is now not possible, the spiral of violence and counter-violence to break the will of the terrible civil war dragged on and more casualties,” said the SPD politician on the eve of the MSC.

Prior to the deliberations in Munich, Germany: Federal foreign Minister Steinmeier

The efforts for a peace process in Syria were once again at a crossroads. “How should it be possible, at the negotiating table to compromise, while at the same time, in Aleppo and elsewhere with ever greater brutality in war,” said Steinmeier.

ml/se (rtr,dpa,afp)