Zakharova: Russia hopes Astana talks will give extra impetus to settling the crisis in Syria

Moscow, SANA- Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed hope that talks in Astana will give extra impetus to the Syrian settlement process.

In a news briefing on Wednesday, Zakharova said that a second international meeting on Syria is due in Astana, hoping that it will give extra impetus to an inclusive intra-Syrian dialog under the UN auspices in Geneva.

Zakharova pointed out that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in Moscow on February 16, and that the two parties will exchange views on the whole range of issues related to the settlement process to the crisis in Syria, including the Astana process initiated by Russia, adding that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov will also
hold a meeting with de Mistura.

During their meetings with the UN envoy, the Russian diplomats will emphasize the need for the Geneva talks under the United Nations auspices, due on February 23, to be held in full accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254, she stressed.

Zakharova reiterated that only in this case progress can be made in solving the crisis in Syria and reaching an agreement reflecting the interests of all groups of Syrian society.

De Mistura’s spokeswoman Yara Sharif said that the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva on settling the crisis in Syria will start officially on February 23.

H. Zain / Hazem Sabbagh

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