Page 22 - Issue 70
P. 22
Vol 1 - issue 70 ELITE
The Ambassador then moved on to the Dr. Nevine Massad then offered a
regional and international context, response to the Ambassador’s remarks,
offering a breakdown of each major likening the Syrian reality to “a cart
actor's position in the Syrian file: loaded with explosives that cannot move
Russia seeks to consolidate its strategic forward unless it sheds some of its load.”
influence through its military bases in She pointed out that what is occurring on
Tartus and Hmeimim and balances its the ground is a de facto division—even if
relations with Turkey and Israel to it hasn't been officially declared—given
protect its interests, far from any the multiplicity of governance systems,
commitment to Syrian unity. The varied military controls, and the absence
United States has retreated from a of a unifying national project. She also
leadership role, content with protecting gave a vivid example, stating: “One scene
the SDF and oil fields, and that struck me deeply—when you're
coordinating with Israel in the south, walking through the streets of Damascus,
without presenting a comprehensive you see Syrian flags raised, then suddenly
vision for a resolution. you enter a certain street and find Turkish
Turkey acts as a de facto occupying flags instead. Then again, you see Syrian
force in northern Syria, imposing direct flags, and after that, flags of different
administrative and economic control factions. It's a surreal scene, one that
and working to alter the demographic symbolizes the current decentralized
makeup under a security pretext. Israel, structure and perhaps the one to come.
he said, is the greatest beneficiary of It's undeclared, but it's real.”
Syria’s fragmentation, ensuring the Dr. Massad further addressed the
neutralization of the southern front in Turkish–Israeli understandings, noting
coordination with Russia to secure its that their publicly declared contradictions
borders. mask a functional agreement aimed at
Europe has become a marginal player, weakening the Syrian state. She also
limited to funding civil society criticized the Western stance, observing
organizations amid a lack of political that it does not oppose authoritarian
influence. As for the Arab states, the regimes per se, but only when they are
Ambassador expressed disappointment religiously oriented. She cited the absence
at the absence of a unified Arab of any Western objection to the latest
position. He noted that the Arab constitutional declaration, despite its
League’s delegation of authority to the overtly authoritarian nature.
United Nations was merely symbolic
and lacked a genuine political will for
active engagement.
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