The debate over normalization with the Assad regime in Washington
The Syrian regime is using earthquake diplomacy to gain more legitimacy and accelerate the normalization process in the region. Following the earthquake, Egyptian Foreign Minister Shukri met with Assad in Damascus and delivered humanitarian aid to Syria through the regime. The day after the visit of the UAE Foreign Minister al-Nahyan, who is trying to lead the normalization process with Syria, Assad allowed UN aid teams to cross into opposition-controlled areas of Syria. It is no secret that many Arab countries, including the UAE and Egypt, prefer normalizing ties with the Syrian regime. Although the American administration has expressed its opposition to normalization efforts with the Assad regime in the region, there is no indication of serious pressure being exerted on this issue.
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Erdoğan's 'proactive' diplomacy on Syria
President Erdoğan has been working on 2 projects at once as he asserts that Türkiye would undertake a ground campaign against the terrorist groups in northern Syria 'at the most appropriate time' and that he may meet Syria's Bashar Assad 'under the right conditions'
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The wave of democratization, which began with the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, took down the authoritarian leaders of Egypt, Libya and Yemen. Whereas the uprising in Bahrain was crushed thanks to Saudi Arabia’s military intervention, Iran and Russia ensured the survival of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria.
The latest escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh reignited anti-Turkey rhetoric in the international arena. Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's leadership, threw its weight behind Azerbaijan to help the country reclaim its Armenian-occupied territories.
What is the context of the decision? What does this decision mean for Israel and for Netanyahu? What are the possible implications of the decision?
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Monday. .
Russia, Iran planning to declare victory over Idlib
Regime leader Assad wants to claim victory over Idlib to prove he has Syrian lands under his control, says analyst
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Syria's impact on Turkey-US relations
However, the latest crisis in Syria can actually help revive relations, but only if the U.S. and Turkey can establish a meaningful conversation, effective channels for dialogue and the intention to work together toward common objectives.
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It is crucial that the international community concentrates on diplomatic efforts to revive the political process, and it must also put more pressure on Russia, Iran and the Assad regime to prevent the imminent military offensive against Idlib
Regional and global actors cannot reach common ground in order to end the Idlib crisis, signaling that the Syrian civil war will most probably get worse in the future
The Tehran trilateral summit did not result in the best solution to the crisis in Idlib, but it was a good starting point for the peace process
One of the most significant unknowns in Washington for the last seven years has been the Syrian policy. The inconsistency between rhetoric and policy, the absence of a strategy and indecisiveness were considered the pillars of the U.S. position
There was a time when you could have called Turkey's relationship with the U.S. a "strategic partnership."
President Trump is not concerned about the interests, expectations and concerns of other states, and it is no surprise that he has declared most of the U.S. partners as enemies
Almost every U.S. president has promised, wished or dreamed of revising and recalibrating Washington's relations with Moscow; however, after entering office and attempting to change the trajectory of the bilateral ties, they quickly discover that the task is easier said than done.
The war of words between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, entered a new stage, as Iran's president, commonly known as a moderate reformist, moved closer to hardliners such as Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and General Qasem Suleimani.
The Helsinki summit between presidents Trump and Putin reaffirmed that Russia, not the United States, is the top dog in Syria
Nowadays it is hard to find a film analogy to describe U.S.-Russia relations. The rivalry of old days and the reset of the recent past are all over.
Had it not been for President Erdoğan's strong leadership, Turkey might have panicked in the face of pressing issues and failed to prevent existing problems or meet new challenges
This report presents a general summary of the panel sessions, including the main points of discussion and policy recommendations.
