Venezuelan Mediation?

This week, Pope Francis reportedly turned down a mediation request from embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, indicating conditions aren't ripe for the Vatican to step in and help mediate in the country's dramatic political crisis. Italian newspapers said the socialist leader had written to Francis to ask the Pontiff's help in launching talks with the opposition leader and purported president, Juan Guaidó, whom many including the United States have recognized as legitimate interim president. Guaidó invoked a constitutional provision to assume the presidency three weeks ago, arguing that Maduro’s re-election was a sham. The Argentine-born Pope lamented in reply to Maduro that Venezuelan Bishops were frustrated in their efforts to help defuse political and social tensions in the country, where much of the population lacks adequate food and medicine in a brewing humanitarian crisis. His letter to Maduro indicated Francis felt an inadequate government response to the willingness by church officials to facilitate dialogue in Venezuela. The Pope said all intentions aimed at reconciliation were effectively thwarted since, despite various meetings, there was no follow-up with concrete gestures to implement agreed-upon measures. While Pope Francis favors dialogue, he says only when it places the common good over all other interests and when it is aimed at achieving unity and peace. Despite diplomatic language in the letter, Pope Francis maintains,"'Yes, I can be a mediator, but at my conditions.'" See full news report here-- https://bit.ly/2TLvuuA

President as Mediator

This week, American President Obama served as would-be mediator between Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan while all were in Paris. Reuters reported Obama met with Putin on Monday during the COP21 Climate Change Conference there. After the meeting, the White House informed journalists that Obama expressed regret over the death of the Russian pilot, but stressed Russia should de-escalate tensions with Turkey. The Daily Mail wrote that Obama told Putin Russian airstrikes in Syria need to target Daesh militants and not attack rebel groups who oppose Syrian President Assad. Yesterday, Obama met with Erdogan and pledged U.S. commitment to Turkey’s security and sovereignty, according to the AP. Erdogan was also asked to ease the tension with Russia and focus on the campaign against the Daesh. Daesh is apparently an Arabic acronym and the equivalent of Isis or Isil. Obama emphasized the common enemy remains Isil. Of course, Turkey accused Moscow of bombing Syria’s Turkmen region, where no Daesh terrorists exist. Russia claimed its plane was shot down to defend existing oil trade routes between Turkey and Daesh, allegedly taking place on an industrial scale, according to TASS news agency. Erdogan promised to resign if Moscow can prove its claim, but stressed that Putin must be the one to resign if he is lying. Though news headlines touted Obama as mediator between Russia and Turkey, he is not truly a neutral, as America actually leads the anti-Daesh coalition. Similarly, the U.K. Independent reported U.S. officials are pressuring the Turkish government to enforce its Northern Syrian border, still used as a smuggling route by the terrorists. On the humanitarian front, Russian airstrike campaigns in Syria have caused many civilian casualties, killing some three hundred non-combatants. No apologies were made and the situation still seems unsettled. It's hard to be a neutral facilitator when you have a stake in the outcome... See more here-- http://bit.ly/1Pvrr0v and http://ind.pn/1NHulPp

Iranian Settlement Negotiations

Talks began today in Vienna regarding final settlement on Tehran's disputed nuclear program. Though the parties have indicated a deal may prove difficult, the Iranian negotiators were reported to have stated that if all sides enter the talks with the political will, positive results may be reached in time. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, who has final say in nuclear matters, was pessimistic about the prospects of a long-term deal. U.S. government officials similarly downplayed expectations in what was described as a complicated, difficult and lengthy process. This meeting is the first since the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany struck an interim accord with Iran last fall to scale back nuclear work in return for some sanctions relief. The issues for the permanent agreement include the level of Iran's ongoing enrichment of uranium, underground enrichment facilities and reactors, and inspection of military complexes where the IAEA suspects activities related to weapons development occurred. A final deal would define the permissible scope of an Iranian nuclear program and resolve concerns that Tehran is seeking the capability to build an atomic bomb. Iran, of course, denies having any such goal and wants the complete removal economic sanctions. See stories here-- http://reut.rs/1mr7muc and http://bbc.in/1gQ2vgj