Lay Off Imperial Behaviour Towards Syria

Syrian politics must be shaped by the people of this country, not imposed from outside.  It is part of the tragedy of the Syrian civil war, that it adopted in many places clearly the character of a proxy war of foreign powers, like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, France, Great Britain, or the U.S. This goes unmistakably along with ethnical and religious "explanations". Merely the left, democratic opposition in Syria fundamentally refuses violence, external intervention, and the country’s religious fragmentation. The task of the United Nations and its actual special envoy Brahimi is exclusively to create conditions for a truce, an end to violence, and the realization of humanitarian aid.

The foray of new French president Hollande to immediately install an interim government deteriorates the conditions for an actual transition to democratic change.  Even Hollande has difficulties laying off old, imperial behaviour. To all Syrian powers who let themselves in for Hollande’s venture will cling the reputation to cooperate with foreign powers. Germany may by no means agree to this suggestion! Already today Germany, as one of the "Friends of Syria", acts as counsellor for an economic policy "according to Assad". This is beyond acceptablity regarding international law, no matter if counselling comes from state or "state-oriented" institutions. Who, like Germany, takes over the presidency in the World Security Council on 1st September, should perfectly act according to international law. To succeed in this even Germany has yet a long way to go.