Bashar al-Assad speaks at a press conference in Damascus, on July 16, 2023. (Credit: AFP)
The Syrian regime is once again under threat. But this time, Bashar al-Assad's military backers are not in the best position to come to his rescue. In this context, will Assad, whose main motivation is to stay in power, be forced to sit down at the negotiating table with his regional neighbors to save his authority?“With this offensive, the regime has been weakened, but as long as the rebels don't take Homs, Syria's real strategic geographic hub, Damascus won't feel compelled to negotiate,” said Jihad Yazigi, founder and editor-in-chief of Syria Report. The Syrian president, who considers talks as a sign of weakness, has always refused to compromise, despite opportunities that could have ended Syria's diplomatic ban.While Saudi Arabia pushed for its reintegration into the Arab fold in May 2023, following efforts by the United Arab...
The Syrian regime is once again under threat. But this time, Bashar al-Assad's military backers are not in the best position to come to his rescue. In this context, will Assad, whose main motivation is to stay in power, be forced to sit down at the negotiating table with his regional neighbors to save his authority?“With this offensive, the regime has been weakened, but as long as the rebels don't take Homs, Syria's real strategic geographic hub, Damascus won't feel compelled to negotiate,” said Jihad Yazigi, founder and editor-in-chief of Syria Report. The Syrian president, who considers talks as a sign of weakness, has always refused to compromise, despite opportunities that could have ended Syria's diplomatic ban.While Saudi Arabia pushed for its reintegration into the Arab fold in May 2023, following efforts by the United Arab...