Washington is threatening to take “alternative choices” in Syria, including five diplomatic and military measures backed by a strategic patience policy, in case Moscow does not meet its pledges to establish a constitutional committee by the end of the year.
Faced with the US policy, Moscow is holding onto imposing a new fait accompli on the ground.
Russia has lately signaled that it was taking steps towards establishing the committee, lowering the US rhetoric.
US Special Representative for Syria Engagement Ambassador James Jeffrey only briefed the press on the results of the Syria Small Group meetings last Monday in Washington with envoys from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, without issuing an official statement representing the position of all members of the group.
Western diplomatic sources said Washington and its allies are working on convincing the new UN envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to discuss a “new agenda” for Syria’s political process, replacing the constitutional committee.
The US has a new vision on Syria - keeping a military presence east of the country, linking the reconstruction process to a credible political solution, not recognizing the government and imposing more sanctions on institutions and figures close to Damascus.
Washington also demands that Western countries stick to previous sanctions imposed on Syria and its allies.
Syrian opposition figures and US-allied states expressed concern over some of these options, saying the impact of a long stay in eastern Syria and freezing the confrontation lines might lead to the country’s division.
This comes at a time when Moscow is trying to impose a fait accompli on the battlefield with an aim to divide the opposition's allies.
