Assad-Washington ties become warmer after Palmyra victory
By Aynur Karimova
Syria has got a gleam of hope for melting of ice in relations of the Bashar Assad regime of Syria and the U.S.
Such a hope appeared after recapturing historic town Palmyra in central part of the country from the Islamic State last week.
For Assad, recapturing Palmyra represents a strategic importance, as he hopes to persuade the U.S. that the Syrian army is a credible partner in combating terrorism in the country.
The desert town of Palmyra, with its 2,000-year-old ruins, is not only an archaeological gem known to Syrians as the "Bride of the Desert," but also a strategic crossroads linking the capital city of Damascus with the country's east and the border with Iraq.
Assad forces reconquered Palmyra on March 27, gaining an important victory over the IS fighters. This was Assad's first major victory through the hands of the pro-governmental forces in years.
The government troops, joined by Iranian-backed militiamen, were supported by massive Russian airpower throughout their three-week offensive.
Assad believes that the Palmyra victory was "new evidence of the effectiveness of the strategy followed by the Syrian army and its allies in the war against terrorism."
Bashar Ja'afari, who serves as Syrian ambassador to UN, believes that it is high time for Syria to work with the U.S., and for powers, including Washington, to join Russia to work with Syria.
Experts also share the same opinion with Ja'afari. They say that the U.S. has long suffered from the lack of a reliable partner in Syria. The Obama administration's attempts to train and partner with Syrian rebels have all ended in failure.
Last year, the U.S. softened its foreign policy, which demanded Assad to leave power. The U.S. officials claim that civil war in Syria can end after Assad quits the post of president.
On March 28, State Department spokesman John Kirby described the reconquering of Palmyra as a "good thing,” but declined to congratulate the Assad government for the military success. The U.S. official believes that Assad will not be able to retake other parts of the country.
Experts believe that the victory in Palmyra also puts the Syrian president in a more comfortable position ahead of negotiations that will be resumed in Geneva in mid-April. They say that Assad will be able to use all his political cards in peace process in Syrian war.
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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova
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