Alwaght- Members of the UN Security Council unanimously approved a statement in support of a political solution to end the Syrian crisis. This shows that the Western and Arab states sponsoring the terrorism have come to the conclusion that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis, the very point that Iran has frequently reiterated. Iran has frequently declared that the only solution to the Syrian crisis is the Syrian-Syrian talks.
In recent weeks, there have been increasing diplomatic efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis and hopes for an end to the Syrian crisis have largely been restored for the first time. On Monday, the 15 members of the Security Council unanimously approved a statement that according to which they will support attempts of Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for peace in Syria, and called for holding preliminary talks on key issues aimed at restoring peace to Syria. This is the first time that the UN Security Council adopted a statement on Syria without opposition from any of the members. Before all 15 council members approved the text, Vitaly Churkin Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, said: "This would be the first exclusively political document on the Syrian crisis adopted by consensus." French Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, Alexis Lamek described the statement "a historic decision". Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister said that by approving the statement, the Security Council showed its determination to end the "sufferings" in Syria. However, Venezuela's UN Ambassador Rafael Ramirez Carreno criticized the statement, saying it violates "the sovereignty and self-determination of the Syrian people by promoting a political transition including the establishment of a transitional government without its consent." The 16-point statement drafted by France was under discussion since last month, when it was presented to the Council by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. The draft was being discussed since De Mistura had announced that he is trying to provide a new plan, to revive peace talks with Syria and prevent the continuation of the civil war and destruction of the country. Based on De Mistura's plan, four working groups of experts in politics, security, legal issues and terrorism will be required to investigate the matters of dispute, and make practical suggestions to end the armed conflict in Syria and pave the way for political transition in the country.
Political transition based on popular will
The Security Council statement demands that all parties in Syria "work urgently" to cease the war through a Syrian-led political process so that political transition takes place based on legal demands of Syrian people. The peace process includes a transitional government with full executive powers "on the basis of mutual consent." Although the future of President Bashar al-Assad was not specifically mentioned in the statement, allies of Damascus especially Iran and Russia announced their apposition against dismissal of the legal president of Syria; however, the Western states have urged that Bashar al-Assad should have no role in Syria's political future. One of the most important articles of the statement insisted on combating terrorism which is also supported by Russia and Iran.
The UN Security Council statement was issued as the international community has recently witnessed renewed efforts of the regional and international actors to end the Syrian crisis in which allies of Damascus have assumed a major role. Recently, there have been diplomatic talks in Doha, Tehran, Muscat and Moscow between diplomats from Iran, Syria, Russia, the US and Saudi Arabia. The Iranian officials have announced that their four-point plan will be revived with new changes. Iran has always pointed out that the Syrian crisis has no military solution, and has underlined the need for the Syrian-Syrian talks to end the crisis.
Field Developments
Syrian army and the resistance forces had launched clearing operations in al-Zabadani, and they have now full control over operation rooms of terrorist in Ahrar al-Sham. Six terrorists including one of the commanders of Ahrar al-Sham field operations were killed in the clashes, and two others were wounded. Al-Manar TV reported that the Syrian army has increased its attacks on al-Zabadani and has bombed more than 10 positions of the armed rebels in the town. Syrian army troops and the resistance forces have wrested full control over the neighborhoods of al-Zahra and Hara al-Gharbiyah in al-Zabadani district and have managed to seize the operation room of terrorists of the Ahrar al-Sham Movement while clearing the Western part of the town of mines and bombs. These neighborhoods are densely populated and have very narrow streets. As a result, they have accommodated a large number of rebels, and army forces have gradually managed to win back the town. Five members of Ahrar al-Sham Movement surrendered during this operation. At the same time, the battles that terrorist armed groups had begun three weeks ago (referred to as "Help al-Zabadani") were defeated by the fierce resistance of the Syrian army. The media reported that as the army and Hezbollah are about to win back al-Zabadani, the terrorist are just making attempts to include "Mazaya", an area next to al-Zabadani region, in the cease-fire equations. Pointing out that "only a few more days are left to end the war in al-Zabadani, Al-Akhbar the Lebanese daily paper reported that active political and field resources have confirmed the news. This time, however, the military breakthrough is not limited to a geographical territory, this time it includes a "new agreement" which requires the exchange of terrorists, in the "Mazaya" and Vadi Berdi villages in return for "civilians of Fov'e and Kefraya". It is worth mentioning that consecutive failure of terrorists in al-Zabadani has accelerated the conclusion of the agreement. Mazaya, is a town near al-Zabadani district, in northwest of Damascus which has a population of about 15 thousand people. In recent years, thousands of refugees have also entered the town.
