US withdrawal is destabilizing region

NEWS DESK

The international press on Saturday referred to the US withdrawal from Syria as well as the expansion of the arms control treaty to include China, Russia and the United States.

Is the US really able to withdraw from Syria?

The Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria had raised question between international forces and local forces to figure out how to fill the destabilizing void that the Americans would leave behind.

But with diplomatic efforts it became clear that there was no clear arrangement that seemed to meet the competing concerns and agendas of all parties concerned - and that none of them was likely to emerge soon.

According to the Washington Post, Turkey, Russia, the Kurdish allies in Syria and the Syrian government all have a strategic interest in any arrangement for the future of northern Syria, yet most of their demands are completely contradictory.

The fact that they do not talk to each other will make it harder to reach a solution.

The Washington Post says that the Trump administration wants to satisfy both sides (Kurds and Turks), and to fulfill its contradictory promises to protect its Kurdish allies and give Turkey a share in the region.

According to The Washington Post, the Kurds prefer the return of the Syrian government to the area they control. But one of Syria's closest allies is Iran, and the Trump administration objects to any plan that allows Iranians to maintain their influence in Syria.

Commercial war could deprive China of its missile arsenal

In the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, we read about a US proposal to expand the medium- and short-term missile ban treaty to include China.

Fyodor Lukyanov, chairman of Russia's Foreign Policy and Defense Council said

"The first comments about this were made a few months ago." this is unrealistic, because China does not even want to hear about any negotiations on the issue, it pretends that it does not matter at all.

The newspaper added, "As for the Russian-American treaty, it is strange to refuse to discuss how to improve it, to announce its withdrawal, and then to talk about new negotiations. Trump and Bolton say that the current plan does not suit Trump and there is no other plan."

 Lukyanov does not rule out the possibility of a situation in which the Chinese leadership decides to sign a multilateral treaty. But this requires special conditions.

"Anything can happen," Lukyanov said, adding "The situation around Taiwan or a military political situation may affect China's decision."

A.H

ANHA