UN Syria talks in doubt as Russia takes on dealmaker role

The failure of Syria peace talks this week has cast doubt over UN efforts to mediate a solution to the country's devastating war, while regime backer Russia has emerged as a key dealmaker, analysts say. The latest round of Geneva-based talks aimed at ending the nearly seven-year conflict, which has killed more than 340,000 people, ended Thursday in failure.
UN mediator Staffan de Mistura acknowledged that "real negotiations" never took place during the eighth round of talks. "I am disappointed," he said, blaming the Syrian government for refusing to enter into dialogue and calling the round "a golden opportunity missed".
Seven previous rounds of talks mediated by de Mistura have also gone nowhere - and under his watch the rival sides have never met for face-to-face negotiations. The discussions have repeatedly stumbled over the fate of President Bashar al-Assad, and Damascus is refusing to meet the opposition directly until it drops demands that he leave office.
For their part, the opposition and western diplomats are concerned that parallel Moscow-backed talks are an effort to circumvent the UN talks and impose a solution favourable to Assad after major battlefield gains by Russian-backed regime forces. "The balance of power undeniably favours the Russians," Karim Bitar of the Paris-based Institute of International and Strategic Affairs told AFP, adding that the Geneva talks appeared to be "on life support".
Bolstered by Russia's intervention in 2015, Damascus has regained the upper hand militarily, retaking large swathes of rebel-held territory. Russian-backed Syrian forces have also dealt severe blows to the Islamic State group, whose self-proclaimed "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria has largely collapsed.
As regime forces advanced on the ground, Moscow, along with fellow Syrian ally Iran as well as rebel-backers Turkey, have organised talks on halting the fighting, which are set to resume next week in Astana, Kazakhstan. Those talks have resulted in "de-escalation zones" and ceasefire deals that critics say have been imposed in a manner that largely serves to consolidate regime gains.