Astana 6 calls for deploying observers from Russia, Turkey, Iran

 Russian, Iran and Turkey, known as the guarantors of the peace talks in Astana have agreed Friday to establish a de-escalation zone in Idlib, northwest of Syria and to deploy 1500 monitors along the border of the area to prevent any clashes between regime forces and opposition groups.

A joint statement issued following two days of meetings in Astana said that the three countries agreed on the deployment of observer units to control the de-escalation areas in the Idlib province with the aim to prevent incidents and clashes between regime forces and opposition groups.

According to the statement, the guarantor countries, therefore, agreed on creating a joint Iranian-Russian-Turkish coordination center for coordinating activities in the de-escalation zones.

Head of the Russian delegation at the Astana talks Alexander Lavrentyev said on Friday that the number of monitors might reach 1500 members adding that each of the three countries agreed to send about 500 observers to Idlib, amid reports that Turkish backed opposition factions might infiltrate in the area to fight al-Nusra.

Lavrentyev added that the announcement of a de-escalation zone in Idlib constitutes the final stage of the realization of the four de-escalation zones in Syria.

Meanwhile, the opposition delegation wrote on its social media account: “There will be no presence of any Assad forces or his militias in any spot or part of the de-escalation zones and those forces will not have any role in the liberated areas.”

The statement added that the Free Army rejects that Iran participates in the monitoring of the truce in Idlib. The head of the Syrian opposition delegation Fateh Hassoun told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday: “Our presence at the meeting (in Astana) does not mean that we accept all the details and decisions issued there. Our position from Iran’s participation is clear and public and would not change.”

He said the opposition delegation could not write its reservation on the agreement reached between the guarantor countries because “we are not part of the signing parties.” For his part, Syria’s special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura called to “bring the momentum of Astana” to broader talks on finding a political solution to the Syrian conflict.

The guarantor nations of the Syrian ceasefire -- Russia, Turkey and Iran -- announced in the Kazakh capital the creation of de-escalation zones in Syria that are to be in force for at least six months. "We have declared the creation of de-escalation areas in eastern Ghouta, in certain areas of northern Homs, in Idlib province and in certain areas of the neighbouring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces, and some areas of southern Syria," reads the final declaration of the Astana-6 peace talks on Friday.

The document states that the zones "are a temporary measures that will initially last six months and will be automatically extended on the basis of consensus among the guarantor countries", Efe news reported. The talks were also attended by the Syrian Government and armed opposition.

Despite opposition from the anti-Damascus side, Iranian forces are to take part in efforts to uphold the terms of the agreement reached on Friday following two days of talks in Kazakhstan. The head of the Syrian opposition delegation Fateh Hassoun told a press conference that the armed groups did not agree with Iran's role in the ceasefire.

"We have a stance on the presence of Iran as a guarantor. We do not agree with that role," Hassoun said. Rebel leader Yasser Abdul Raheem was more determined. "We will not accept Iran's participation even if they wear the UN's blue helmets," he said. Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrajmanov announced that the next round of the Astana Process is planned for October.

On the other hand, US-backed Syrian opposition factions will not let forces backing the regime of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad cross the Euphrates River in their bid to recover eastern Syria, their commander said.

Syrian opposition commander Abu Khawla said a civilian administration would be set up to run areas of Deir al-Zor province being captured from ISIS by his fighters, including its oil fields. The Syrian government was “not fit to lead and rule the people”, he said.

The Deir al-Zor military council, fighting as part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has advanced toward Deir al-Zor from the eastern side of the Euphrates River since launching an offensive into the province a week ago.

Government forces, supported by the Russian air force and Iran-backed militias, have simultaneously advanced into Deir al-Zor from the west. Last week, they broke an ISIS siege of the provincial capital, Deir al-Zor city, which sits on the western bank of the river.

Deir al-Zor province is ISIS’s last major foothold in Syria and Iraq. Rich in oil, it is bisected by the Euphrates River and abuts Iraq.

The Russian- and US-backed campaigns against ISIS in Syria have mostly stayed out of each other’s way as the sides seek to avoid conflict, with the Euphrates often acting as a dividing line between the sides. Talks have been underway to extend a formal demarcation line that has separated the campaigns, officials have said. Abu Khawla warned government forces and their militia allies against firing across the river as his fighters close in – something he said had happened in recent days.

“Now we have 3 km between us and the eastern riverbank, once our forces reach the area, any shot fired into that area we will consider an attack on the military council,” he said.