What difference can Sochi summit make for Syria's future?
The Syrian National Dialogue Congress met in Sochi on Jan. 30. The congress took shorter than planned, and some opposition groups that were expected to join refused to participate in the meetings at the last minute.
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Ankara deepens partnership with Moscow as White House confused on Syria
The Pentagon continued to arm, equip and train the People's Protection Units (YPG) despite Ankara's concerns and criticism.
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Now it's Washington's turn to decide.
Operation Olive Branch is a more difficult operation in comparison to Operation Euphrates Shield because both Daesh and the YPG are terrorist organizations, but Daesh seemed to be a more legitimate target for the international community, whereas there is difference of opinion concerning the status of the PYD, even among Turkey's NATO allies
The YPG is the Syrian arm of the outlawed PKK that has been fighting against the Turkish state for years, so it is impossible for Ankara to accept any presence of these militants near its borders
Turkey's foreign policy had a year of transition and change in 2017.
Implications of Sochi summit for Middle Eastern politics
As a result of the U.S.'s reluctant policy on Syria, other countries are obliged to bypass it and take the lead for the sake of their national interests
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Ankara not sidelining US, prefers cooperation
In addition to the Syrian crisis, Ankara and Washington have not been able to come to an agreement on Turkey's possible purchase of Russian-made defense systems.
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Trump's decision to stop "this nonsense" caught the Pentagon and the U.S. State Department by surprise.
Turkey, Russia and Iran's in detail discussions to find a solution to the Syrian civil war in Sochi may discomfort those whose policies only aim to deepen the crisis
Should we interpret the recent rapprochement between Ankara and Moscow or Tehran and Baghdad as a sign of Turkey's strategic axis shift toward Eurasia? Certainly not
The KRG referendum established that regional powers could work together when it comes to preserving the territorial integrity of others.
Moving forward, Washington must take the time to understand Turkey's frustration and engage in qualified cooperation with Ankara in certain areas. A review of Washington's policy on FETÖ, for instance, could go a long way.
Turkey has initiated the Idlib Operation in order to eliminate the possibility of the emergence of another human tragedy, and to avoid the loss of many lives.
Turkey's Western allies, which conveniently turned a blind eye to Ankara's vital interests, have effectively compelled the Turks to work more closely with Moscow and Tehran.
In terms of safeguarding regional stability, the key issue is protecting the territorial integrity of even the most fragile states in the Middle East through collaborative efforts
If Turkey-U.S. relations are intended to head for a fresh start rather than a collapse, Washington must revise its Middle East policies, especially the leftovers from the Obama administration on Syria, Iraq and Iran
The first ever OIC Summit on Science and Technology started a historical process through which multifaceted issues related to scientific research, higher education reform, financing and the commercialization of technology began to be discussed as strategic priorities
Turkey is determined to follow its Syrian policy for its own goals without choosing Russia over the U.S. or vice versa
"Difficult choices" of various stakeholders in the Syrian conflict will entail serious consequences. With Bashar Assad getting closer to remaining in power throughout the transition period, the disintegration of Syria and the YPG's future will emerge as the main policy issues.
