As the Vienna talks were ongoing, the USA announced that it will be sending around 50 special forces onto the ground in Syria to fight against the Islamic State.
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He stated that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Iran’s Mohammad Javad Zarif disagreed.
The White House has long said that Assad’s ouster is essential to its ultimate goal of defeating the Islamic State because the Syrian president’s brutal tactics against Sunni rebels have drawn Sunni radicals from all over the world into the militant group’s ranks.
Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011.
The Obama administration is planning to deploy a small number of USA special operations forces in Syria, according to multiple reports.
A USA official said there was “no intention of engaging in long-term, large-scale combat operations” in Syria.
Russian Federation began conducting airstrikes in Syria in late September that benefit Assad’s forces, though it has also said it is ready to aid rebel groups that are fighting the Islamic State group.
The Arab powers, along with America and the West, believe that Assad’s departure is the essential condition for peace in Syria; Russian Federation and Iran, meanwhile, insist that he must stay, at least for a transitional period.
Most of the countries were represented by their foreign ministers but China sent vice foreign minister Li Baodong.
For Kerry, getting a diplomatic process going to end the Syrian war has become something of a negotiating obsession, much as reaching the nuclear accord with Iran – which came to fruition here in Vienna three months ago, with talks taking place in a few of the same hotel rooms.
Nevertheless, a commitment from Iran to a defined time limit for a transition could be viewed as a significant new undertaking, potentially forming a basis for future diplomacy at a time when Assad’s position has been strengthened by Russia’s decision to join the war on his side.
“In the shadow of this anarchy there will not be real elections, therefore we reject them absolutely”, said Ahmed al-Seoud, a fighter in the rebel 13th Division which has been fighting in the western Hama province. Washington has been cautious about publicly committing to helping the Syrian Kurds, who are mistrusted by USA ally Turkey. The joint statement issued at the end of the meetings touted the “frank and constructive” discussions on the major issues, but admitted to still having “substantial differences” on key matters-topping the list: when and how Assad should leave power. “It is unacceptable”, he said, referring to Assad.
However he has gradually intensified the USA military response to what counter-terrorism officials worry is a growing Islamic State threat in Syria and Iraq.
Several Western military officers attending a security conference this week in Bahrain said that before any political progress can be made, and ahead of new global talks set for within two weeks, rebels and government forces will both look to make gains on the ground and increase their leverage. Another Syrian activist group, the Local Co-ordination Committees, said the two were known activists from Raqqa. The Islamist groups are the most powerful among those fighting against Assad.
State Department officials have said they hope the Vienna meeting will establish a framework for future talks, and they do not expect the diplomats to emerge after just one day of talks with anything resembling a solution.
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Jubeir said he believed the conflict in Yemen was entering a “final phase”, citing military advances made by a Riyadh-led coalition.
