UN Security Council Agrees On Syria Plan

After four years of war, more than 2.4 lakh deaths, displacement of half of the population make Syria still a divided nation. A variety of actors locked in power struggle including President Assad, Khurdish force, Al Nusra, ISIL and other armed faction. United Nation Security council passed resolution to stop this violence. This resolution adopted unanimously by the Security Council reflected a months-long effort by American and Russian officials,  who wanted to stop killing in Syria, however these countries are  on the same page for Syria's  future. This Syrian Plan is an outcome of "Vienna Peace Talks".

Key Highlights of the resolution:

• Calls for ceasefire and formal talks on a political transition to start in early January
• Groups seen as "terrorist", including Islamic State and al-Nusra Front, are excluded from any talk.
• Air strikes against terrorist group are to be continued, which is termed as "Offensive and defensive actions" .
• UN chief Ban Ki-moon to report by 18 January on how to monitor ceasefire.
• "Credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance" to be established within six months.
• "Free and fair elections" under UN supervision to be held within 18 months.
• Political transition should be Syrian-led and Syria owned.
• Acknowledgement of cease fire and its implementation.
• Agreement on safe return of refuges back to Syria.

Vienna Peace Talks:

• The Syria peace talks, also known as the Vienna Process,was a phase of international negotiations to resolve the conflict in Syria that was first held in Vienna, Austria, on 30 October 2015, at the level of foreign ministers
• Neither the government of Syria, nor the Syrian opposition take part in the talks.
• The participants, since the second round of the talks, are known as the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), which consists of: the Arab League, China, Egypt, the EU, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, the UK, the United Nations, and the US.

What are the interests of International Community in Syria?

Russia:

Russia is one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most important international backers and the survival of the regime is critical to maintaining Russian interests in the country. Moscow wants to protect a key naval facility which it leases at the Syrian port of Tartous, which serves as Russia's sole Mediterranean base for its Black Sea fleet, and has forces at an air base in Latakia, President Assad's Shia Alawite heartland.

USA

• The US has accused President Assad of responsibility for widespread atrocities and says he must go. But it agrees on the need for a negotiated settlement to end the war and the formation of a transitional administration.

Saudi Arabia

• The Sunni-ruled Gulf kingdom says President Assad cannot be part of a solution to the conflict and must hand over power to a transitional administration or be removed by force.
• Riyadh is a major provider of military and financial assistance to several rebel groups, including those with Islamist ideologies, and has called for a no-fly zone to be imposed to protect civilians from bombardment by Syrian government forces.

Iran:

• Regional Shia power Iran is believed to be spending billions of dollars a year to prop up President Assad and his Alawite-dominated government, providing military advisers and subsidised weapons, as well as lines of credit and oil transfers.
• Mr Assad is Iran's closest Arab ally and Syria is the main transit point for Iranian weapons shipments to the Lebanese Shia Islamist movement, Hezbollah.
• Iran is also believed to have been influential in Hezbollah's decision to send fighters to western Syria to assist pro-Assad forces.
• Iran has proposed a peaceful transition in Syria that would culminate in free, multi-party elections. It was involved in peace talks over Syria's future for the first time when world powers met in Vienna.

By: Vishal