Sochi agreement enters second month, Russia might choose military option

As the Sochi agreement entered its second month, Russia hinted that it might resort to a military solution.

Russia’s foreign ministry said the process of separating radical militants from moderate opposition groups in the demilitarized zone in Syria’s Idlib region had not yet been successfully achieved.

Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the process, which was launched as part of a deal between Turkey and Russia in September, had not been successful despite efforts by Ankara.

Russia and Turkey held a meeting in Sochi last Sept. 17 in accordance with a Turkish proposal to Russia to convince it to abandon the military option in liberating north Syria, the latest area captured by terrorists.

Political analysts see that Turkey considered Sochi as an opportunity to revive its influence in Syria, as it vowed to deal with terrorists and try to convince them to hand over their heavy arterially and adhere to a demilitarization zone.

Since the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the failure of the agreement, Russian news outlets have been publishing reports regarding this failure.

The Russian Sputnik News published a report two days ago on details of the violations and breakthroughs committed since the Sochi agreement was inked and until the ministry’s announcement.

The report said extremist groups in the zone did not commit to withdraw heavy artillery from the demilitarized zone, doubting that Turkey had reached any agreements with the groups to turn over their weapons.

Political analyst Mohamed Farrag said the military option has always existed even when Turkey and Russia announced the Sochi agreement, pointing out that Russia will not allow the existence of these groups in Syria, even if they handed over their weapons.

He also pointed out that Russia realizes Turkey’s tricks to save its extremist allies, and that it temporarlily agreed to the agreement to weaken the internal scene of the factions, in order to pave the road for its anticipated military operation.

Farrag stressed that the groups involved in the war in Syria are even weaker now than before the agreement, and that they would not last long in any military operations against them.

“Through Sochi, Turkey sought to preserve its remaining influence in Syria after seven years of supporting terrorism,” Farrag told The Reference. “Turkey’s existence in Syria will end soon after a military option is taken, as Russia will cut off Turkey’s arms in Syria by eliminating the terrorist groups.”

Professor of Political Science, Nourhan Al-Sheikh, also said the military solution is still standing, despite that Turkey tried to delay this solution, and that Russia sets returning all of Syria to its legitimate government as a priority.

She further pointed out that Turkey will keep on supporting extremists, adding that it might launch a campaign to defame the war and claim that the Syrian army is launching attacks against civilians. “Turkey is a pragmatic country and will deal with any circumstance,” she added.