Syria opposition seeking spotlight: Jim W. Dean

Press TV has interviewed Jim W. Dean, managing editor of Veterans Today from Atlanta, on the ongoing Syria peace talks in Geneva.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: If you were to look at the posturing of the two sides, how do you think this has played out so far?

Dean: It is playing out exactly like we had anticipated. Mr. Mistura said last week that once we get rolling, expect to see a lot of huffing and puffing; people walking out on the talks and then walking back in. And although the Saudi opposition coalition tried to grab the headlines creating all this drama about whether they were going to attend or not, we all obviously knew they were, because they weren’t about to pass up having the spotlight in Geneva and just be gone and forgotten about. So that’s why people any time anybody walks out, they’re walking out, they’re leaving the stage and not going to get any more attention.

So, that will be a lot of huffing and puffing, and then on a side, I don’t mean to be cute about this, but they’re certainly not going to miss out on living in five-star hotels and eating wonderful Swiss food for what might be a year to a year and a half… the real issues are as at the end of the day are any of these terrorist groups going to be prune from the list? It was quite a surprise this morning to hear Russia come out in what looks like cutting Damascus off at the knees that they said they don’t have a problem with a couple of terrorist groups being in the negotiations.

Press TV: That is one of the things that is a development in this scenario, but at the basis of these talks is the timeline that perhaps can go either way for either side and that’s the six-month timeline. It’s kind of a long timeline, don’t you think, based on what’s happening on the ground for each side?

Dean: It really is, but let’s say it’s a double-edged sword. If people want to drag out the talks, the Russians may look at it and Syria also… that gives us more time to get control over more territory. So, it’s a very delicate type of balance, because whoever has troops on the ground, they’re able to cut off supplies and they’re able to start rebuilding, put security and start moving refugees back. They’re now going to have a political force, people that want to vote for peace, and that’s going to build up support for them.

So, it’s a very delicate balance and my fingers are crossed that someone is not planning to turn this into an Israeli-Palestinian-type negotiation where it just goes on forever and ever and the goal is to never have peace. And there’s certainly potential for this and that would be a tragedy.

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