Kazakhstan’s FM: Astana talks on Syria scheduled for July 4-5
By Kamila Aliyeva
The next meeting on Syria will be held in Astana on July 4-5, said Anuar Zhainakov, the spokesperson for Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry.
"Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry in agreement with the foreign affairs agencies of Russia, Turkey and Iran, informs that the next high-level international meeting on Syria within the framework of the Astana process will be held on July 4-5," , RIA Novosti reported referring to Zhainakov.
The participants plan to discuss the situation in Syria implementation of the agreements reached on the basis of previous rounds of talks in Astana, including the creation of de-escalation zones in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, according to Zhainakov.
"The guarantor countries of the ceasefire - Iran, Russia and Turkey – are expected to consider the documents regulating the parameters of the de-escalation zones in Syria for their subsequent approval, as well as discuss issues of ensuring unhindered humanitarian access, restoration of infrastructure facilities within the framework of the memorandum on the establishment de-escalation zones in Syria," he added.
Kazakhstan’s first Deputy Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi told journalists on June 20 that the guarantor countries will take part in the international meeting.
He said that invitations to participate in the talks were also sent to representatives of the Syrian government and the armed opposition.
"We expect the answer," he noted.
Earlier on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the next round of talks on Syria in Astana will be held on July 10 and that the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura intends to attend it.
To date, four rounds of negotiations on the ongoing Syrian conflict were held in the Astana, on January 23-24, February 15-16, March 14-15 and May 3-4.
During the most recent round, the guarantor countries of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime — Russia, Iran, and Turkey — agreed to establish four safety zones across the country.
The civil war in Syria between government and opposition with various terrorist groups involved, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), began back in March 2011.
Syrian President Bashar Assad managed to turn the tide of war in his favor after Russia started an air campaign in September 2015, while Iran is an uncompromising supporter of the Syrian leader.
According to a report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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