Russia’s Anti-ISIL Airstrikes in Syria May End War - Walesa

GDANSK (Sputnik) — Russia’s military operation against the Islamic State (ISIL) jihadist group in Syria may help to resolve the four-year civil war in the country, former Polish President Lech Walesa said Monday.

"Now that Russia has joined in the resolution of the conflict in Syria, I think that the situation will calm down. I know that if the Russians have joined, the situation will be resolved," Walesa told RIA Novosti in an interview.

Also Walesa stated that restoring order in Syria must include the avoidance of past mistakes made by US-led intervention and regime change in the Arab world.

"I am for restoring order and peace. Doing so, like the removal of [former Libyan leader Muammar] Gaddafi, is wrong. They are still fighting there. It really needs to be done wisely," Walesa said.

"Americans are too brash, these are American military boots. And then we pay the price. If it was done quietly and with understanding, everything would be fine," Walesa suggested.

President of Poland from 1990-1995 and trade union leader of the Polish Solidarity party, Walesa said he supports the Western-backed idea to remove the current Syrian leadership from power, but acknowledged a lack of alternatives.

"Such a leader is not there yet, because there is a war. If hostilities cease, the need will arise for a leader, and this person will emerge fairly quickly," Walesa said.

Former president of Poland Lech Walesa said he was interested in assisting in mediation to end the Syrian civil war, with the support of the Russian army.

"Theoretically this [Syrian mediation] can be considered. But I have no executive capacity. I have nothing to threaten them [the parties] with. I need the Russian army. If the Russian army stands behind me, then I will do this," Walesa said.

Europe has to accept the refugees fleeing the ongoing Syrian civil war, as well as from the crisis in Libya, he added, noting that, concurrently, EU members must create the conditions for their eventual return to their homes.

An expanded round of international talks on the Syrian civil war is scheduled to be held on Saturday in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

A nine-point Vienna plan to end the Syrian civil war calls for the current Syrian leadership and opposition to meet under UN auspices to discuss "credible, inclusive, non-sectarian governance," hold fair elections and adopt a new constitution. The document also calls for a political process led by the Syrian people, who alone must decide on their government’s future.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces countering the so-called moderate opposition and several extremist groups, including the Islamic State and the Nusra Front.

On September 30, Russia began launching precision airstrikes at Islamic State militant group positions in Syria at the request of President Bashar Assad.