Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addresses the Doha Forum, where he discussed the rebel advance in Syria, which soon led to the fall of the Assad family rule. (Credit: Mahmoud Hams/AFP)
The meeting’s secrecy was well-guarded. On Dec. 7, as the Assad regime buckled under the weight of the rebel advance, Turkey, Iran and Russia convened under the so-called Astana format on the sidelines of the Doha Forum.Speaking to the media afterward, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for an “end to hostile activities.” His Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, remarked, “It’s time to unite and rebuild the country.”In the joint press release, the three ministers emphasized the need to halt military escalations while upholding Syria’s unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. They also called for intensified efforts to prevent chaos and the spread of terrorism across the country.That same evening, the Syrian capital fell to armed opposition forces led by the Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and the...
The meeting’s secrecy was well-guarded. On Dec. 7, as the Assad regime buckled under the weight of the rebel advance, Turkey, Iran and Russia convened under the so-called Astana format on the sidelines of the Doha Forum.Speaking to the media afterward, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for an “end to hostile activities.” His Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, remarked, “It’s time to unite and rebuild the country.”In the joint press release, the three ministers emphasized the need to halt military escalations while upholding Syria’s unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. They also called for intensified efforts to prevent chaos and the spread of terrorism across the country.That same evening, the Syrian capital fell to armed opposition forces led by the Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham...
