Russia has promised the Syrian Democratic Council (MSD) further support in its efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis. The initiative of the MSD and the Popular Will Party for a solution process to end the war in Syria is exemplary, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a press conference with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Muallim in Damascus on Monday. He called upon other forces in Syria to follow the roadmap.

A week ago, the MSD and the Popular Will Party, which is part of the parliamentary opposition in Syria, had signed a memorandum of understanding in Moscow on strategic cooperation under the auspices of the Russian Foreign Ministry, which is intended to lay the foundation for a post-war Syria. The memorandum of understanding contains a number of noteworthy points, including the withdrawal of all foreign troops not invited by the Syrian government, the inclusion of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria in a future political order of a multi-ethnic and decentralized Syria, and the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army. 

This roadmap is the best initiative of many, stressed Lavrov. He said that for the solution of the Syrian crisis, his government had put together several "platforms" in Moscow, and the choice ultimately fell on the working group led by Ilham Ehmed and Qadri Jamal, the leaders of the MSD and the Popular Will Party. A delegation from Ankara was also in Moscow at the same time as the MSD. After the signing of the agreement, the Turkish government reacted with criticism to the reception of the Syrian-Kurdish initiative in Moscow, as did the representation of the so-called "Syrian opposition" in Istanbul.

Russian delegation visits Damascus |Syrian Presidency

Russia and Syria demand support for reconstruction

During the rare visit to Syria, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with President Bashar al-Assad on Monday. It is the first trip of the Russian chief diplomat to the Syrian capital Damascus in eight years. Lavrov is part of a delegation that also includes the Russian Deputy Head of Government Yuri Borisov. In addition to further political cooperation, the talks focused on economic and military factors. After the meeting, Assad declared that the relations between the two countries should be intensified, especially in the areas of trade, energy and mining. Lavrov said that the country needed international assistance in reconstruction. Syria's economy has suffered greatly in the civil war and has also been facing new US sanctions for months. Borisov explained that Moscow wanted to help Damascus break the blockade created by the US sanctions.

Caesar Act makes reconstruction impossible

The government in Washington had imposed sanctions in June on the grounds that they were intended to force Assad to return to peace talks within the framework of the United Nations. Due to the so-called Caesar Act of the US the inflation in Syria has exploded. The Caesar Act not only means a massive tightening of sanctions against the Syrian regime, but also makes a reconstruction of the country de facto impossible. The sanctions are directed not only against government officials, but against all those who, in whatever form, "support" the government in Damascus. Thus, not only Iran and Russia are in the focus of the sanctions, but also every company that accepts orders for any form of reconstruction.

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