The Wall Street Journal - U.S. in Talks With Moscow on Syria Safe Zone
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June 9, 2017. Felicia Schwartz, Gordon Lubold.
At least two meetings have taken place to de-escalate Syrian conflict.
WASHINGTON—The Trump administration has been holding secret talks with Russia to try to set up a de-escalation zone in southwest Syria, where Syrian government forces and rebels would be separated in hopes of ending hostilities in the region, officials familiar with the talks said.
At least two meetings have taken place so far, the last of which took place about two weeks ago in Jordan, where Jordanian officials also took part. The meetings followed a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Moscow in April. Another meeting scheduled in Amman for this week was canceled because of scheduling conflicts, and a new date hasn’t been set, a U.S. official said.
The talks signal a gambit by the White House to attempt some kind of cooperation with Moscow even as President Donald Trump is under fire for being too close to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and investigators in the U.S. continue to probe alleged Russian interference in last year’s U.S. presidential election and possible connections between Trump associates and Russians. Russia has denied the allegation.
The officials familiar with the talks said they are also threatened by continued tensions in southern Syria between the U.S. and forces allied with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russia has provided military support for the Syrian regime.
The Pentagon has long opposed de-escalation zones because military officials are wary of coordinating with the Russians and fear that the costs of safeguarding the borders of the zones is costly and could significantly deepen the U.S. involvement in the conflict.
But officials say they hope to find a way to work with Russia in destroying the Islamic State. If the de-escalation zone is successful, the U.S. and Russia would look to set up other sites, the people familiar with the situation said.
Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy to the anti-Islamic State coalition, and Michael Ratney, the U.S. special envoy for Syria, are leading the talks on the U.S. side.
Officials at the Russian embassy in Washington didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
A State Department official said the U.S. has “nothing to announce regarding reports of discussions about southern Syria,” but said the U.S. remains committed to a diplomatic solution in Syria. “We have long said there is no military solution to the crisis in Syria and have worked tirelessly to achieve a de-escalation of violence and a defeat of ISIS, al Qaeda, and other terrorists.”
The U.S. and its allies are operating out of a base near the Syrian town of Al Tanf near the Iraqi border, and after beefing up its forces in the area, the U.S. military has warned Mr. Assad and his allies to steer clear of the base and stay out of a 33-mile zone around the base.
The U.S. has alerted the Russian government that it seeks to avoid mishaps in this area, but will take defensive action as needed. That includes the U.S. shooting down Thursday of a “pro-regime” drone which dropped a “dud munition” on forces the U.S. is working with inside the area. The coalition also hit two armored vehicles inside the area after they were being used in connection with pro-regime forces who were setting up a camp there.
Pentagon officials insist the U.S. isn’t seeking conflict with the Syrian regime or any of its backers, including Iran.
“We are in Syria to defeat ISIS, full-stop,” said Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis. “Anything else we do there is in self-defense only. We do no seek conflict with the Syrian regime or these pro-regime militias or pro-Iranian proxy forces.”
Some officials familiar with the talks fear that recent flare-ups suggest that Russia cannot control its allies in the area, and that Iran may have some role in the fighting as well. Capt. Davis said Russia has been “helpful” in trying to discourage regime and other forces operating in the area to “do the right thing” and prevent them from taking destabilizing actions like using the drone in the area.
As the U.S. and Russia have deepened their involvement in Syria, both sides have maintained contact to avoid conflict between the battlefield elements, Pentagon officials have said. But previous diplomatic efforts have foundered at establishing de-escalation zones, including talks in Astana, Kazakhstan. The U.S. is skeptical of the success of the Turkey, Iran and Russia backed-discussions, which suggest de-escalation zones elsewhere in Syria, especially because of Iran’s involvement in the talks
Mr. Tillerson is likely to face questions about efforts to work with Russia on Syria in budget testimony next week. The Senate is discussing toughened sanctions against Russia, which Mr. Tillerson asked senators to delay so the U.S. could try to work with Russia on Syria.
“Because of the situation in Syria right now, Secretary Tillerson talked to me several weeks ago about the fact that he would like at least to have an opportunity, a short window of opportunity, to see if there is any way to change the trajectory in our relationship with Russia,” Mr. Corker said in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting in late May.
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