Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 03/2014

Obstacles to a Resolution of the Syrian Conflict

David W. Lesch, Frida Nome, George Saghir, William Ury, Matt Waldman

November 2013

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University

Abstract

The Harvard-NUPI-Trinity report Obstacles to a Resolution of the Syrian Conflict explores the Syria crisis from the broad range of actors involved in it. Through interviewing representatives of the internal and external opposition, the Syrian regime, the regional states as well as the wider international community, the authors hope to generate a more comprehensive understanding of the Syrian conflict, and to begin to identify areas of potential common ground. Obstacles to a Resolution of the Syrian Conflict compares the actors' varying interpretations of the origins of the conflict, their biggest concerns for the future are, as well as their thoughts on the possibilities for a solution.