Syria truce seeks to halt army advances in north: Pundit

Press TV has conducted an interview with Ajamu Baraka, a human rights activist from Colombia, to discuss a decision by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura for postponing the upcoming peace talks to March 9.  

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: The reasons behind which these talks were delayed to begin with, what is to say that those reasons or those disagreements have been hammered out?

Baraka: There is nothing to ensure that the talks will be successful. In fact, delaying the talks for two days almost ensures that the very argument been used to delay the talks that is that they want to avoid conversations around ceasefire violations. It almost ensures that that will in fact beat the conversation because we know right now that the cessation of hostilities is still very shaky. There are numerous reports of violations and so if it is not demonstrated that there is a real commitment to peace with the beginning of a serious peace negotiation, then it is almost inevitable that the violations will continue and that once those talks begin on March 9 the real conversation will be around the violations of the agreement.

Press TV: Considering that there is so much that can be achieved though if these talks do go in the right direction, what needs to be done to ensure that it does happen?

Baraka: We have to continue to put pressure on the various governments, in particular the government of the United States to not undermine the possibility of talks that is going to be substantial. There is no evidence right now to suggest that the US is in fact committed to peace. John Kerry gave a signal to the rebels on the ground that if the ceasefire breaks down that the US will be prepared to support in essence this ... of the Syrian state. We also know that NATO ally, Turkey, is still massing significant troops and armaments on the Turkey border … so there is no real serious evidence to suggest that the Western powers have given up on their objective to achieve regime change in Syria.

Press TV: Why then put up this pretense of agreeing with Russia on the cessation of hostilities on the ground?

Baraka: Two objectives; one to solidify popular support in the US and in the West that there is a serious attempt to achieve peace. But secondly, there were strategic reasons on the part of the US to try to damper the success that has been made militarily in northern Syria. So, this was an attempt to win some time and we see that al-Nusra and even elements of ISIS (Daesh) are taking full strategic and tactical advantage of the so-called ceasefire to move their forces and to engage in provocative military action. So, it is all part of a cynical game just being played in this dangerous part of the world.     

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