Syrian regime opponents unimpressed by G-8, point to Russia’s self-interest

June 19, 2013

By Syria Direct news staff

Q: How do you explain Russian intransigence toward the Syrian revolution?

Suhaib al-Ali, FSA spokesman for Aleppo region: To protect the Russian interest. Not to mention the agreements that it has for digging oil wells in the Syrian cost. Also to protect the Russian Sea base on the Syrian coast.

Jamal al-Din, FSA fighter currently in West Damascus suburbs: Russia is supporting the regime with everything: Money, weapons, and fighters. Russia has an interest in dragging out the Syrian issue, because each hour of our revolution, Russia makes money off it.

Osama, spokesman for the union of LCCs in Outer Damascus province: Russia has a personal and political interest inside Syria and wants to reap the benefits from that. As long as that continues, Russia will not change its position.

Suzan Ahmad, spokeswoman for the FSA’s Revolutionary Leadership Council in Outer Damascus: We don’t expect anything new from Russia. Russia made it clear from the beginning that it will support the regime with all possible means.

            Mowfaq Zraik, political analyst and writer based in Riyadh: Drawing from their actions and behavior, rather than their statements, I see that there is an international consensus, and that America does not differ in practice from Russia in how it deals with the crisis.

There are points that they agree upon: that this regime must not fall in revolution, that they consider the Syrian people among the most dangerous in the region, and that there is a heated front with Israel. Regionally and internationally, it is in no one’s interest for the revolution to succeed. Many have infiltrated and corrupted the revolution and steered it in unsound directions.

Abu Nidal, spokesman for Ahrar a-Sham in East Ghouta: With regards to Russian arming of the regime, it will continue until the scales tip in favor of the revolutionaries; until such a time when it controls major parts of the capital. So Russia will arm the regime not to regain control of the liberated territories but so that it will survive and be able to use pressure. Russia recognizes that Assad’s political regime is over, so it hopes for political changes with the survival of some regime elements retaining control of the security and military institutions.

 Q: Do you think the Geneva Conference will happen after the G-8 meeting? Will the opposition participate in the conference?

Suhaib al-Ali: Even if it happened, I do not think it will come with helpful results to the revolution. Am not pessimistic, but we are in the third year for the revolution and none of the meetings we held gave any results for the revolution and Syrian people. I do not know and I do not care if they will attend or not.

Osama: Even if America forced the opposition, the opposition cannot participate because of its own pressure. In the event the opposition attended, it will fall apart and the Geneva conference will fail too. Personally I think the decision of America to provide rebels with weapons is to put pressure on the Syrian regime. In general Geneva Conference will not happen and if it’s happened the opposition will not attend it.

Suzan Ahmed: Nothing. They did nothing before, and after 2 years what are they really willing to do?! We have been getting killed for 2 years and they were just watching.

            Mowfaq Zraik: I’m not anticipating anything specific from the meeting, but it seems that the Americans want to work on the balance of power in Syria in terms of armaments. There won’t be a winner or a loser, so we’ll have to wait for the next meeting.

            Abu Nidal: The conferences [themselves] are not what matter, what is important is the intention to solve the crisis. It is possible that this conference will [merely] fill a political vacuum, as its predecessor did. The traditional opposition does not have the ability to apply pressure nor does it have any nor does it have any role to play in the Syrian issue other than in name only.

Jamal al-Din: A: To be honest I do not the answer. I don’t follow political news a lot, but whether they attend or not does not matter. The revolution will win from inside not outside.