New York Times: Rancor Between Saudi Arabia and Iran Threatens Talks on Syria
VIENNA — As Secretary of State John Kerry sat down here on Friday to push for a political settlement of the Syrian war, the immediate tension surrounded his dealings with the Russians and the Iranians.
But the bigger challenge may well be reconciling the Saudis and the Iranians, longtime rivals who have turned Syria into the main battlefield in a broadening proxy war for dominance in the Middle East.
They have more invested in the outcome than any of the other participants in the talks to end the conflict, now in its fifth year.
Until two weeks ago, the idea that Saudi Arabia and Iran would sit at the same table was unthinkable. The Saudis outright refused, and the two countries have been accelerating an arms race to assure they prevail not only in Syria, but also in Yemen, Iraq and, less noticeably, in the street uprisings in Bahrain.
WNU Editor: Peace is the last thing on the minds of the people who are directly involved in the Syrian war. Having a bunch of foreign ministers in Vienna to talk about the crisis .... in an atmosphere where no one is interested in compromising .... and where there is no preparation or understanding on what is to be discussed .... I fail to see how these men can change anything.
1 comment:
WNU,
This meeting is a great success.
Russia stalls yet looks reasonable. So they win.
Kerry is engaged in the "process" of diplomacy. So in his world and his circles this is a great win regardless of the outcome. If the outcome is bad, you just engage in more "process".
People accuse drug companies of treating diseases but not curing them. Answering that accusation aside, might politicians engage in that sort of behaviour and expect to be rewarded?
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