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Russia finds neutral zones in Syria essential but tricky

Moscow hopes to focus soon on rebuilding Syria's shattered infrastructure, but first must help restore stability, which could prove much more difficult.
Russian soldiers and civilians walk along a street in Aleppo, Syria January 30, 2017. Picture taken January 30, 2017. REUTERS/Ali Hashisho - RC150FD10090

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin went to Damascus Dec. 18 to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Their agenda focused on post-war restoration: Russia particularly eyes cooperation with Syrian authorities on oil drilling, energy, agriculture and infrastructure projects. Rogozin also went to the Russian air base in Khmeimim to address a session dedicated to the operational use of Russian arms.

Remarkably, at a meeting with Rogozin, Assad called the Kurds fighting under American command “traitors.” This is rather telling of Assad's mood. Now that large Islamic State (IS) enclaves have been demolished, the problem of compromise between Assad and the opposition, and the question of the regime’s stability without foreign support, have become the most important aspects of the Syrian conflict.

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