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Hope for Syria?

Lakhdar Brahimi’s decision to stay on as UN envoy for Syria may offer a glimmer of hope for diplomacy in Syria, writes Clovis Maksoud.
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby (L) listens to U.N.-Arab League envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi speak during a news conference at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo March 18, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer  (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3F5HL

The international community’s Syria involvement has taken a new turn after Lakhdar Brahimi’s decision to stay on as UN envoy, revealing a paradox between the diplomatic and on the ground situations amid the background of an increasingly desperate humanitarian crisis.

Brahimi was persuaded not to resign by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, signaling that hope in Syria is attainable. The fact that he acquiesced to the secretary-general’s appeal shows that he has concluded that while complex, a diplomatic and political solution outweighs the possibility of further escalation of the bloodletting, despite the evidence to the contrary over the past few days. The ease with which Brahimi was persuaded reflects the glimpse of hope that the understanding between Russia and the United States — through their respective foreign ministers, John Kerry and Sergey Lavrov — might this time bring forth reconciliation in Syria that has eluded the international community for more than two years. From the beginning, Brahimi has relied on an authentic understanding between the United States and Russia for the success of his mission.

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