Russia is mediating new talks between Syrian Kurds and the government in Damascus

The Syrian Kurdish administration is looking to Russia to mediate talks between them and the Syrian government that would include what being described as a “comprehensive defense” of their territory in northern & eastern Syria, more specifically the Syrian-Turkish borders.

According to Kurdish official, a delegation from the self-autonomous region of northern Syria went to Moscow to meet with representatives of Russia’s Foreign Ministry on December 14, 2018.

The visit was prompted by the US announced of the withdrawal from the country, the decision that will expose the Kurds to the Turkish attack.

In their visit, the Kurdish delegation presented a roadmap for dialogue focusing on protecting northern Syria “according to a comprehensive defense system of Syria from external threats”, constitutionally including their region in a unified Syria, and fair distribution of economic wealth in the country.

The Syrian Kurds asked Russia to mediate such a dialogue.

From its part, and as it known that, Moscow has a lot of influence over Syria’s affairs as they are the closest ally to the Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, at the same time they have cooperation and strong ties with Turkey.

According to a source at the Syrian Kurds delegation to Moscow said that, they were told by the Russian Foreign Ministry they would take their role as mediator “very seriously” and were ready to “work together to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria”.

The Russians are expected to formulate a plan for new dialogue based on the Kurdish proposal, he added.

The Kurdish administration was in talks with Damascus since last summer, however the negotiations quickly ended, as Kurdish saying that the Syrian government “demanded too much”.

The US withdrawal will leave the Kurds so vulnerable towards Turkish invasion, with Ankara considers the majority of the Kurdish groups as terrorists due to their ties to the PKK.

The US President Donald Trump, who initially wanted a speedy exit from Syria, has agreed to slow down the process after his announcement was criticized from many US officials.

According to the New York Times, posted on Monday, Trump agreed to give the military four months instead of two in order to withdraw its 2,000 troops.

US military officers said they need time to make decisions about the equipment they have in the country – whether to move it out or leave it in the hands of the Kurds, or disable it so it become useless in case of it falls in the hands of “US regional foes such as Damascus and Iran!”

While Russia would like more details on Washington’s plan, it welcomed the US withdrawal from Syria saying that Russia wants to see the Syrian government regain the control of the areas that the Americans will vacate.

Turkey has said that, their military offensive against the Kurds won’t happen for a few months, but it has not eased up on preparations.

The Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar spent his New Year inspecting troops on the border with Syria, and visited the tomb of the ottomans father Suleiman Shah inside Syrian north.

Akar reiterated that, Turkey will not allow any threat to be easiest on its borders with Syria, stressing that the Turkish army is ready to annihilate all the enemies of the country.