Syrian unity key to political solution: New brookings paper

A political solution to the Syrian crisis lies in developing a unifying national framework built on a process of power-sharing and broad consensus, suggests a new paper published by the Brookings Doha Center (BDC). The new paper titled 'The Challenge of Syrian Unity: Reassuring Local Communities and Framing National Consensus' explores the interests and concerns of key Syrian constituencies as they struggle to devise a formula for maintaining Syrian unity as part of a political solution to the crisis. The paper draws on a closed-door workshop held by the Brookings Doha Center in Paris that brought together prominent members of the Alawi, Christian and Druze communities, Kurdish and tribal leaders, as well as members of the Syrian National Coalition and high-level representatives from key Western states. It finds that alongside an intensified military effort backed by the international community a political solution to the conflict lies in the development of a unifying national compact, built on a process of power-sharing and broad consensus. In the preamble to the new paper, BDC Director and Syria Workshop Series Convener Salman Shaikh writes, "A number of key points emerged throughout the course of our discussion. The dialogue made clear that Syrian minorities are increasingly fearful of the rise of sectarianism and extremist groups across the country. "Participants complained that not enough is being done by the National Coalition of Syrian Opposition and Revolutionary Forces (SOC) to address the concerns of those minorities and factions that have in large part either sided with the regime or been reluctant to join the revolution." In order to acquire greater legitimacy and support inside the country, participants said the Syrian opposition must work to develop an effective political solution, Shaikh mentions in the note. Participants at the Parisian workshop suggested this proposed Syrian national compact be based on processes of dialogue between opposition elements and community representatives, perhaps under the oversight or facilitation of an international third party. Such discussions, they said, should work to define intra-Syrian and international guarantees for the provision of security and the protection of certain rights, Shaikh revealed in the preamble to the new paper.