Russian Deputy FM interview with Der Spiegel - February

[Mtangoo]

Question: Who is to blame for the failure of the Syria talks?

Gennady Gatilov: The talks have not failed. UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said this is only a “temporary pause”. The opposition bears responsibility for this outcome. The Saudi-backed delegation came to the talks with its own conditions, saying that they will start negotiations only after Russia stops its airstrikes and the humanitarian situation improves. This was a deliberate move aimed at hindering dialogue. Even the moderate opposition was ready to make big concessions to launch talks. The Kurds is another issue.

Question: In what sense?

Gennady Gatilov: The Kurdish people are an important part of Syrian society. They have ground troops fighting against ISIS and other terrorist organisations. They have every right to be part of the negotiation process. The US shares this perspective. Unfortunately, the idea of getting the Kurds involved must be addressed taking into account Turkey’s tough stance on this issue. In fact, Turkey vehemently opposes any such initiatives and even threatens to withdraw from the talks. Staffan de Mistura has set February 25 as the date for the next round of talks. I hope we will be able to make a breakthrough by that time.

Question: German politicians are accusing Russia of increasing the influx of refugees into Europe by conducting airstrikes against Aleppo.

Gennady Gatilov: The influx of refugees has nothing to do with the Russian airstrikes. This issue emerged earlier with the refugee flows reaching Europe before the start of the Russian military campaign.

Question: Civilians in Aleppo and its suburbs have found themselves between two frontlines. Why doesn’t Russia stop its airstrikes at least during the talks?

Gennady Gatilov: We are fighting against terrorist groups such as ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and other Al-Qaeda affiliates. Airstrikes against terrorist groups will continue in any case, even if there is an agreement on a ceasefire in Syria. The point of a ceasefire regime is to make sure that all those interested in launching the negotiations benefit from it – not terrorists.

Question: What does Turkey want?

Gennady Gatilov: Ankara wants to create and control a buffer zone in northern Syria. Turkey could have played a more constructive role. It is from Turkish territory that ISIS receives arms and other supplies, as observed by Russian monitors and satellites. This is an established fact. There is no secret that ISIS exports oil through the Turkish border.

Question: What are Russia’s objectives?

Gennady Gatilov: There is no self-interest behind Russia’s actions. In March, it will be five years since the conflict erupted. Our main objective is to promote peace in Syria and launch a Syria-led negotiating process, so that Syrians can determine the future of their country. We don’t want to impose anything on anyone. However, we want this region to be stable. The Syrian settlement would have a positive effect on neighbouring countries such as Palestine, Libya, Iraq with all its instability, and North Africa. All these countries face a terrorist threat. This is a very dangerous trend, which means that we have to work together on this issue.

Question: In what way?

Gennady Gatilov: Russia has been calling for joint action against terror from the outset of its campaign. We propose to exchange information on targeted sites. Unfortunately, the West hasn’t responded to our proposals.

Question: Europe and the US have voiced misgivings over the fact that on top of conducting airstrikes against ISIS, Russia above all supports the advances of the government troops.

Gennady Gatilov: Russia’s presence in Syria is underpinned, among other things, on the request of the Syrian government. Unlike the US, we are in close contact with Damascus. As for statements that Russian airstrikes are targeted not only against ISIS, they are groundless.

Question: Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) reported airstrikes hitting hospitals.

Gennady Gatilov: It is not uncommon for NGOs to provide incorrect information. Take, for example, the Syrian Observatory. As it turns out, it is run by people headquartered in London who spread unconfirmed reports. By the way, hasn’t the US hit hospitals during its airstrikes?

Question: Many people in Syria abhor Bashar al-Assad. Why doesn’t he step down and make room for a successor?

Gennady Gatilov: He is a legitimate president. The US asked us several times to decide together who will rule Syria. We never do such things. It is up to Syrians to decide.

Question: In 2014, elections were held in Syria, but the war is still going on.

Gennady Gatilov: The terrorist threat has increased. Even if Bashar al-Assad is a rogue leader, he is still backed by a large part of the Syrian population. Many people support him. Of course, his own future and that of his close associates is a matter of concern for him. If he was to step down now, Syria would have fallen apart for good. And the US now shares this perspective.

Question: Really?

Gennady Gatilov: The US believes that fighting terrorism, not Bashar al-Assad’s future, is now the key issue. The military situation on the ground has changed. The Syrian army has made substantial progress with Russia’s support, liberating dozens of communities. Bashar al-Assad’s enemies are backed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. But this is a short-sighted policy. We need to find a political solution.

Question: How do you see Syria’s future?

Gennady Gatilov: We must preserve Syria as a sovereign state and prevent it from disintegrating.

Question: What’s bad about splitting the country?

Gennady Gatilov: All groups within Syria used to get along perfectly well. If the country falls apart, we will see something similar to Libya, where all attempts to reach conciliation fall through.

Question: What do you expect from the West?

Gennady Gatilov: It depends on Turkey, to a large extent. Unfortunately, it has adopted a posture that is anything but constructive. Ankara has ambitions of its own, and its own agenda in the region.

Question: How did the current escalation become possible?

Gennady Gatilov: The government committed a number of mistakes, followed by interference from the outside. Bashar al-Assad could have prevented things from getting out of control by conducting democratic reforms in due time. But absent reforms, the conflict continued to develop, which attracted terrorist groups and created a breeding ground for them.

Question: Will Russia’s attention remain focused on the Middle East in the years to come?

Gennady Gatilov: Yes, this region will remain a matter of concern for many years to come. There are many reasons for this — airstrikes in Libya, attempts by the US to spread democracy as it knows it in the Middle East. All this didn’t do any good. Russia is closer to this region in both a geographical and a historical sense. We understand the mentality of the Middle East like nobody else. The fact that Russia has never tried to impose its will on anyone is one of our advantages.

Source: Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov’s interview with Der Spiegel, Germany, published on February 14, 2016

 

[Hoshea]

Aibu yao mashetani mafara.