Syrian Democratic Council Co-Chair Riyad Dirar describes Moscow tripartite meeting between Russia, Syria, and Turkey as meeting of countries in distress

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — Following the tripartite meeting between the Russian, Syrian, and Turkish Defense Ministers in Moscow, Co-Chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Riyad Dirar stated to North Press Agency that the meeting threatens the American presence in Syria and the war against the Islamic State (ISIS).

He added that the parties to the Moscow meeting are trying to solve their crises through rapprochement, describing the meeting as a meeting of the distressed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aims to succeed in the upcoming Turkish elections, while the Syrian regime seeks to alleviate the economic crisis it is experiencing, Dirar said. Moscow seeks to further widen the gap between Turkey and its allies in the West and draw Turkey to its side in the Ukraine war, he continued.

Dirar wondered what the US response would be to an escalating threat from Iran in the wake of any Turkey-Syria rapprochement.

The meeting will have negative consequences for the Syrian people and on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, potentially redrawing the balance of power in favor of the Syrian regime, he stated.

Dirar concluded by saying that there are popular uprising movements and reactions in the northwestern regions of Syria rejecting the return of the regime and Turkey’s dealing with them.