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Russia trying hard to make Syria truce work: Commentator

Monday, 07 March 2016 6:16 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 07 March 2016 6:14 PM ]

A Syrian man and his child carry sacks of wheat and aid, provided by the World Food Program (WFP), in Kafr Batna, in the Eastern Ghouta area, on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, on March 1, 2016. (AFP photo)

Press TV has interviewed Fred Weir, a journalist and political commentator in Moscow, to discuss the recently announced ceasefire in Syria.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Kind of reminiscent of how the Minsk agreement came into force with Ukraine, this largely holding in terms of a ceasefire even though there have been some violations. What part of this is most intriguing to you? I am looking at how Russia is getting signatures from these terrorist groups to stop any type of shelling and it seems like that list is increasing by the day?

Weir: Yes, it is way more complicated than Minsk ... This is quite a different situation and the evidence is that the Russians are trying very, very hard to make it work and if they do have a plan, although this is not something that has been acknowledged in the West, it is not just that their military intervention has been efficient but that they do have an idea of how to bring some kind of peace and order to Syria and it does not involve this outreach to all the different tribes and villages across rebel-occupied Syria where they are making separate, like at the village level making separate deals, it is extraordinary how this is unfolding and it does give rise to a lot of hope and this story you are reporting right now about them opening the air base to humanitarian aid is part of this outreach, this effort the Russians are clearly making to convince everybody that peace is possible, that this truce can work and be expanded upon and Russia’s air force were behind it. I think that is the message there.

Press TV: And there was March 7th then the 9th but officially the 10th is going to start with the peace talks. Do you see hope in it?

Weir: Well yes. I think that certainly it has had the effect of making the different groups, all the different rebel groups in Syria self-identified. Either you are a terrorist or not and if you are not you stop shooting at the regime forces. That is extraordinary. Just think back a few months, that just was unthinkable but that has happened and the Americans are on board with it, maybe they are not quite enthusiastic as the Russians but it does seem to be the only way out and they have got it going. It has gone already, we are already … two weeks into this and nobody even then would have said this could possibly take hold but so, it does seem to be doing so and the talks are really the next big stage and we have got to hope that this is going to get some traction.

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