Is Moscow Serious About Inviting Syria’s Kurds to Dialogue with Damascus?
July 25, 2021, 8:49 am

Is Moscow Serious About Inviting Syria’s Kurds to Dialogue with Damascus?

Jwan Dibo

On the 2nd of July, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called, during a press conference in Moscow with his Bahraini counterpart, the Kurds in Syria to show interest in dialogue with al-Assad government and not to adopt separatist tendencies.

The key points included in Lavrov's answer to a question regarding the future of the relationship between the Kurds and Assad regime were as follows. First, Lavrov implicitly accused the Kurds of embracing separatist inclinations at the behest of Washington. Second, he referred to the subordination of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to Washington. Third, he pointed out that the Kurdish political and military forces are not serious about engaging in a dialogue with al-Assad regime.

Lavrov's words revealed the truth of the Russian position on the Kurdish issue in Syria, as well as on the solution of political transition in Damascus. These two issues are intertwined with each other and cannot be separated. The link between the two questions is the issue of democracy, pluralism, the new constitution, and the rule of law. In other words, the linkage between the two topics is the future and form of the political system in Syria, which, according to Moscow's visions, will be nothing but the rehabilitation of the Assad regime.

The Russian view on the Kurdish issue in Syria is not fundamentally different from the view of the Assad regime. The essence of the Russian stance is that the Kurds must acquiesce unconditionally to Assad's dictates. Lavrov also accused the Kurds of being linked to US agendas and plans as a repetition of the Assad regime's propaganda. Lavrov's statements made it clear that Moscow, like the Assad regime, has no intention of giving an ethnic or geopolitical character to the Kurdish issue in Syria. Instead, it believes that this problem can be resolved within the framework of some superficial and partial administrative and constitutional reforms.

Lavrov's announcement came in the wake of the recent summit between the Russian and American presidents in Geneva. That summit, which seems to have not reached any conclusion regarding the intractable Syrian catastrophe. Lavrov's stance also came after the meeting between the US and Turkish presidents in Brussels last month, which also seems to have failed to achieve any rapprochement on the thorny Syrian predicament. This explains Moscow's attempt to play the Kurdish card again, in a way that confuses US and Turkish policies in Syria.

Russia aims to negatively influence Washington's agenda in Syria by persuading the Kurds that dialogue with al-Assad regime is better for the Kurds than relying on Washington, which may withdraw from Syria at any moment. Throughout the Syrian crisis, Russia has always irritated Turkey with the Kurdish card in Syria, especially when relations between them were deteriorating. On the other hand, Russia has always blackmailed and frightened the Syrian Kurds by inciting Turkey against them.

Moscow is not serious about the talks between the Kurds and the Syrian regime. The reason is that Moscow does not have a clear vision regarding the solution of the Kurdish issue in Syria. It, also, does not have an intention or plan to solve the dilemma of political solution in Syria in accordance with Security Council Resolution No. 2254. Russia seeks only to use the Kurdish card in Syria by disturbing other players involved in the Syrian stalemate to serve its own policies based on power and hegemony. levant

by: Jwan Dibo levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.