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Talks on a political solution in Syria have resumed once again despite repeated postponements and reluctance of some parties to participate. There is a consensus among all countries involved that a political settlement is the only way to end hostilities. Reconciliation would come next.

In order to reach such a settlement, some conditions need to be met:

* Russian President Putin has been very active from a military and political perspective. On the military front he has reversed the tide in favor of the Syrian President. On the political front he is playing a leading role in attempting to bring the parties together to reach a political agreement. Days ago, he held substantive talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Sochi, convened a summit with the Presidents of Iran and Turkey and finally, he had a lengthy phone conversation with President Trump.

It is imperative that the United States reassume its leadership role in resolving the crisis because the US supports some groups of Syrian rebels including Kurds, it has control over a swath of Syrian land near the border with Jordan where it is training and arming rebels, and it is the only power that can convince Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries opposing the Assad regime to accept an eventual solution.

* Another condition for a successful reconciliation is the commitment of the Syrian government, which appears to be winning the war on the ground, to avoid acts of revenge against the rebels and their families who initiated the “revolution” with the hope of gaining political freedom and participation in the political process. These people should be able to live freely in peace and security. However, those who have killed innocent citizens, displaced fellow residents and decapitated journalists and other persons should be brought to justice and prosecuted in the legal system.

Any political solution that does not address the potential for revenge will carry in itself the seeds of another rebellion down the road, especially if religious extremists exploit the feelings of the victims of revenge. Hitler would not have been able to mobilize millions of Germans and lead them to war if the Versailles Treaty had not imposed such stringent conditions on Germany at the end of World War I.

* To ensure a lasting solution to the Syrian conflict, a new constitution should be written with provisions for more political freedoms and prevention of repression and persecution for opponents of the government. The Syrians who took to the streets in early March 2011 demanding some political reforms have a right to be heard. Unfortunately, their movement was high-jacked by extremists and transformed into a religious war. Reforms of the political system are necessary for rallying the majority of the population around any solution. Free and fair elections should follow under the watchful eyes of UN observers.

* The demands by some opposition groups that Assad should leave power as a precondition forcoming to the negotiating table is not anymore realistic. It is not easy now to convince Assad to relinquish his authority at a time where he is achieving military victories against his enemies. However, Putin can discretely pressure him to not run for another term at the next election, without having it as part of the deal. It will not be difficult for Putin to find another Syrian leader who would be loyal to Russia.

In conclusion, the fact that the Assad government has been winning militarily against ISIS and some other extremist groups does not mean that peace is at hand. Even a military victory by the Assad government will not lead to peace if a solution is not found to the political and social problems that were theimpetus of this war in the first place. Let us hope that cool heads will prevail and that Presidents Putin and Trump, despite their differences, will find common ground for a solution in Syria which hopefully would be a first step toward reducing tensions internationally.

The Lebanese civil war that was supported and fueled by outside influences lasted fifteen years until the international community intervened and helped conclude the Taif Agreement that put an end to the war. Syria, the Middle East region and the international community cannot afford the continuing destruction, violence and major instability in Syria that have rippled far beyond Syria’s borders.