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May 6th, 2017 
Awake Goy 
nsnbc : Following the last rounds of talks on Syria in Astana, Russia, Turkey and Iran, plan to publish a map of de-escalation zones in Syria by June 4. In Astana this week, the parties signed a memorandum calling for the creation of “de-escalation zones” in opposition-held territory including Idlib province and certain parts of the neighboring provinces of Latakia, Hama and Aleppo, certain parts in the north of Homs province, in eastern Ghouta, and certain parts of southern Syria’s Daraa and al-Quneitra provinces.
Displaced twice. Palestinian refugees in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus 2014
Russia, Turkey and Iran, the guarantor countries for the Astana talks, agreed to form a joint working group on de-escalation zones in Syria in two weeks, in order to delineate the lines od the de-escalation areas and security zones. The joint working group will also be tasked with resolving other operational issues related to the implementation of the agreement.
It is worth noting that the maps published by official as well as by media sources, up until today, are based on assessments, statements and drafts. The joint working group will be tasked with preparing comprehensive maps of the security zones and de-escalation areas within a month by June 4. Along with the lines of de-escalation areas, security zones will be established to prevent incidents and military confrontations between conflicting parties.
The memorandum signed in Astana states that “The security zones will include checkpoints to ensure unhindered movement of unarmed civilians and delivery of humanitarian assistance as well as to facilitate economic activities, and observation posts to ensure compliance with the provisions of the ceasefire regime.” The memorandum also stipulates that third parties may be deployed, if necessary, with the consensus of the guarantors.
Syrian refugee camp 2015
The memorandum also reads “Creation of the de-escalation areas and security zones is a temporary measure, the duration of which will initially be six months and will be automatically extended on the basis of consensus of the guarantors.” The agreement also provides for a cease-fire, a ban on all overflights, rapid deliveries of humanitarian aid to the designated areas, a restoration of basic infrastructure facilities, starting with water supply and electricity distribution networks, and the safe and voluntarily return of refugees.
Aleksandr Lavrentyev Russia’s chief representative at peace talks in Kazakhstan, emphasized that safe zones established in Syria under a deal reached by Russia, Turkey, and Iran would be closed to warplanes of the U.S.-led coalition. Lavrentyev said “In the de-escalation zones, aviation operations, especially by the forces of the international coalition, are absolutely not envisaged, with or without prior notification. This question is closed.”
The United States reacted cautiously to the agreement, saying it “supports any effort that can genuinely de-escalate the violence in Syria” but expressing concern about Iran’s role and saying Russia must ensure compliance by the Syrian government. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement on May 4 that “Iran’s activities in Syria have only contributed to the violence, not stopped it, and Iran’s unquestioning support for the al-Assad regime has perpetuated the misery of ordinary Syrians.”
A source close to the Syrian opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) told nsnbc co-editor Fahwad al-Khadoumi that the HNC recognizes that the presence of a large number of foreign fighters in Syria on all sides is problematic and complicates the intra-Syrian dialog, adding that a realistic intra-Syrian peace accord would have a greater chance of success if it focused both on foreign fighters with the modrate armed opposition, among jihadi groups like al-Nusra, as well as on an exit strategy for groups like Hezbollah.
CH/L & F/AK -nsnbc 06.05.2017
Source Article from https://nsnbc.me/2017/05/06/guarantor-powers-plan-to-publish-map-of-de-escalation-zones-in-syria-by-june-4/
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