Syria talks involve many cooks — and many kitchens
As would-be peacemakers wrapped up another round of talks in Kazakhstan, organizers announced the next negotiations on Syria will be held in Russia.
![MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-TALKS Foreign Ministers, Sergei Lavrov (C) of Russia, Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) of Turkey and Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran, attend the international meeting on Syria in Astana, Kazakhstan March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mukhtar Kholdorbekov - UP1EE3G0MJ01P](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2018/05/RTS1NVWU.jpg/RTS1NVWU.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=pvnp9mjP)
After a lengthy pause in the series of Syrian peace talks held in Astana, Kazakhstan, this week’s round — the ninth — wasn’t expected to produce any breakthroughs. Yet the very fact that the talks happened at all can be seen as a success given that until the last moment no one knew if the Syrian opposition would even participate.
The next round of talks, set for July, will take place in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi — an idea vehemently opposed by the militant opposition. Opposition representative Yasser Abdul Raheem said he will not attend because Russian forces supporting the regime continue to kill Syrians. He said Russia must adjust its priorities in the civil war.