In order to stop the Syrian civil war, the Astana meeting between the representatives of the opposition, the Syrian regime, Turkiye, Iran and Russia are starting today. The meeting aimed at ensuring a permanent ceasefire and peace is being held under the leadership of Turkiye and Russia.

In the written statement made by the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan regarding the meeting, it was stated that the meeting on the subject of Syria which will start at 13.00 local time will run until 13:00 the next day.

In the statement, in the closed-door meeting, it was noted that the representatives of the regime and the opposition, as well as Turkiye, Russia, Iran, the US and the UN Secretary General Special Representative of Syria Staffan de Mistura will attend.

Before the meeting to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital city, the technical delegation composed of the opposition representatives and consultants, made an internal evaluation meeting yesterday and observed the preparations for the negotiations to start in Rixos Hotel. While this meeting was continued the Turkiye delegation headed by Deputy Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry Sedat Önal had an exchange of views by visiting the opposition group, and then English, French, German and Danish diplomats joint delegation had met with opposition.

At the meeting in Astana, there will be a total of 14 people assigned by the leading groups of civil war in the Syrian Military Advisory Committee. This team also has a representative from the South Front Command of the Free Syrian Army. Muhammed Allush, the representative of the Islamic Army, is the head of the delegation. A team of about 40 people, including law, politics and media consultants, is accompanying the group in Astana.

One of the most important aspects of the meeting is that the Syrian military opposition has made the largest participation in talks since the beginning of the civil war. On the other hand, some groups such as Ahrar al-Sham who do not participate in Astana fit the cease-fire.

Unlike other meetings held in the Western capitals, this time, the entire group of those on the table is the first military battle groups fighting in the field, while the opposition groups in Astana provide for the first time a large group of views. Another first to be experienced is the military opposition and the Syrian regime will be meeting for the first time directly around the same table in the six-year civil war.

According to the received information, the dissidents will present the violations of the ceasefire of foreign groups of the Syrian regime and pro-regime as a report marked on the map. Opponents who want to stop the abuses of the regime forces after the ceasefire came into effect on December 30, will seek the withdrawal of the regime which seized the regional capital Damascus Eastern Guta and areas in the Valley of the Barada in the western countryside.

Another opposition request would be to open a human corridor to the areas where the humanitarian crisis deepened under the siege of the regime in Damascus and Humus. Opponents will demand the release of thousands of political prisoners in the regime prisons.

After Ankara's Syria policy opened 'new page', the tense mood of especially the USA, with Western countries and the Astana meeting after the effect as a result of the relationship positively accelerated with Russia, the region is seen as a bend history in the growth of their hopes for peace.

Turkiye, while seeing fit to participate with a technical delegation headed by Foreign Ministry deputy undersecretary to Astana meeting, a State Department official stated that there aim is to bring together the parties to fit the regime and the opposition wing in Syria with Russian suggestions to the table.

"After all, it's what everyone wants." Adding the official, the exclusion PYD is the success of Ankara when opposition groups in Syria were invited to the meeting. The US, which wants the PYD / PKK to be at the table, seems to be moving in a 'conceptual' line about Ankara's sensitivity at this point, but it still remains unknown as to which fronts the United States and Syria will face with the Trump administration.

It is believed that while there are great duties for Iran and Turkiye especially to stop the violation of the ceasefire in Syria, it is believed that the result can be obtained from the Astana meeting with the goal of permanent peace and the maximum sacrifice of the parties.

What is the success criterion in Astana? Can a solid ground be built for lasting peace? While such questions maintaining their presence, the first and important step on the way to peace is seen as the parties can come together in Syria.

Although the final agreement is not expected in this first meeting to be held in Astana, but a framework for reconciliation is expected to emerge. Participation is intense, and it is anticipated that the parties will be able to catch political consensus in the long run with this meeting, which will start the dialogue process.

On the other hand, the possibility of regime forces heading to Idlib like happened in Aleppo, the continuation Euphrates Shield Operation launched by Turkiye, the US supports to PYD / PKK, questions also multiplies and marks in the minds for future. (ILKHA)