Last Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris had a profound effect on the course of negotiations in Vienna as the countries managed to reach a consensus on joint efforts to combat terrorism.
Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the recent acts of violence have only made the common determination to fight terrorist groups “bigger and stronger.” The international community is ready to exert some real pressure on Syrians from all sides in order to end the dreadful military conflict.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the meeting resulted in a number of important arrangements. In particular, Jordan has pledged to prepare a common list of terrorist groupings, which would make it possible to determine which organizations can be classified as legal opposition and which should be fought against.
Moreover, global leaders decided to further protect the country’s civilian population as well as to make the disputed territories more accessible for humanitarian organizations.
The members of the negotiations are committed to creating the conditions for a ceasefire across Syria. They have also set the date of January 1, 2016 for formal negotiations to begin between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition.
Analysts believe that peaceful talks could take much longer than diplomats have expected. The world powers hold divergent views as to Syria’s future. The United States, most European countries, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are calling for Bashar al-Assad’s resignation while Russia and Iran are strictly opposed to it.
