The UN Security
Council adopted a resolution offering a roadmap to lasting peace in Syria,
which reaffirms that Russia's vision for the war-ravaged country has been
correct, L'Expression asserted.
Moscow always maintained that the conflict will not be resolved by ousting President Bashar al-Assad and that the fate of the country could only be decided by its own people. The unanimously adopted resolution makes no mention of Assad's resignation as a precondition for the launch of the peace process. It also provides a timeframe for a ceasefire and democratic elections.
Vladimir Putin "has reminded
the international community that Russia is a country to be reckoned
with on the geostrategic chessboard. No one can reshape the planet
without talking to Moscow, which put an end to the unipolar
world," the media outlet noted.
The UNSC resolution on Syria, according
to L'Expression, will make Saudi Arabia and Turkey unhappy. Riyadh is
using petrodollars and weapons to become the key country in the
Middle East. For this reason, it is trying to weaken any country, which
might not back Saudi aspirations, including Iran.
"Saudi Arabia has committed only 15 warplanes
out of its fleet of 400 military aircraft to fly anti-Daesh
missions in Syria. [At the same time,] nearly 100 planes take part
in the Saudi-led campaign targeting the Houthis in Yemen," the
Algerian newspaper stated. Riyadh is "mobilizing its arsenal of war
against the Shia, not Daesh or al-Qaeda."
Since Saudi Arabia considers the Shia and not Daesh,
also known as ISIS, a threat, it is doing everything to topple
al-Assad, the media outlet asserted. This task has been complicated
by Russia's successful counterterrorism campaign in Syria.
Riyadh, according to L'Expression, has made every
effort to counter Russia in Syria. Unconfirmed reports suggest that
the Saudis offered Russia $10 billion to back off but "received
a categorical nyet."
Turkey is also unlikely to welcome the recent UNSC
resolution with open arms. Several weeks ago, Russian defense officials
released satellite images, which show routes Daesh fighters use to smuggle
oil to Turkey. Later reports suggested that Ankara was also backing the
brutal terrorist group.
Source: Sputnik News 21-12-2015
