We will hear from japanese epidemics at the center for strategic and international studies. Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us. I am mike green and a professor at georgetown, we are delighted to have all of you join us in discussion over the next two hours with four of japans rising academic thinkers on Foreign Policy and economic affairs. This is the seventh cohort we have invited under a program called strategic japan. Eight years ago we discussed with the Prime Ministers Office how to expand Strategic Thinking dialogue, planning between the us and japan. One thing to think about which was new for japan was the need to go beyond the traditional bureaucratic sources and to tap into the growing expertise among japans academic experts on issues that affect foreignpolicy and to bring more academics into the tent in japan and expand the dialogue with the us and to make sure japanese scholars who are making an impact in japan are sharing their ideas with the us, getting reactions and re
To realize it was in fact. Around the big stories of the last seven days here in r. T. International with me kevin know when this first olympics than the twenty eighteen Winter Olympics in south korea are all gone now literally they came to a sparkling close just a few hours ago rounded off for the starting fireworks display and the traditional handover then to the next winter Olympic Games set to be held in twenty twenty two in the Chinese Capital beijing reports from the current was anyway a limping. Time really does fly and i cant believe that its already and of twenty eight thing weve seen the closing ceremony and the nations parade out and ill tell you what it was much warmer than the opening on february ninth quite literally and the fans didnt have to freeze themselves that much to see the spectacle something that hasnt changed though is the fate of the russian athletes who werent able to march with their National Colors there had been a glimmer of hope that theyd be allowed to d
Pressure from multiple directions across the battlefield in syria and iraq. As we have said from the start, this fight cannot be one in the military sphere. It will require a political solution to the crisis. One thing is certain. The vast majority of states around this table know the isil forces, isil itself, cannot be defeated as long as Bashar Alassad remains president of syria. It cannot happen by definition of the lines of this battle, because who is lined up with whom, and the nature of these protagonists. The reason is defined in the beginning by how this fight itself began. This fight began when young people, young syrians looking for a future wanting nothing more than opportunity and jobs, and education, when they went out to demonstrate for the future. And to claim the aspirations of young people. Assad sent his thugs to beat them up. They were outraged by the fact theirldren where children were being not. They were met with bullets. That is how this whole thing began. People
That is how this whole thing began. People in a country looking for a future who were instead met with repression, torture, gassing and bombs. Assad will never be accepted by those he has harmed. Never possible to become a legitimate leader. Never possible to lead a reconciliation, nor a unification of a country. That cannot happen until he makes clear his willingness to heal the nation and end the war. And declined to be part of the longterm future. Today, we must be focused on finding a solution that will stop the killing and lay the groundwork for a government that the Syrian People themselves can support. We know that the terrorists can either unite the country nor govern it. We know that assad can either unite the country nor govern it. Neither extreme offers the solution that we need and want. What is more, our ability to develop a credible political process would be a farce from a beginning from the beginning. Incredible enough that it will not stop people from fighting. If it w
[indiscernible] in the future government. As long as russias interest in syria, which is the presence of the russian navy and the taunus , continuing the militaryindustrial cooperation with syria and ensuring that there is no failed state in it would is the be open to accommodating potential transition to a Coalition Government in the long run. Again, i have not seen the government would be in favor of russia. They would take into account russias interests, which would include insurance stability in syria so it doesnt become a sit a failed say a failed state and so it will not become a place for groups to attack russia and its allies. Touring the russia continues trade with syria in goods that russia its economy, which. S mostly oil and gas russia is a major buyer of machinery. Russia will remain open to the dialogue and the notion that it could borrow many of its opponents is mistaken. Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said openly what has privately by russian officials for a long