21 Astana talks on Syria kick off in Kazakh capital
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Activities of the 21 International Meeting on Syria under Astana format began on Wednesday in the Kazakh capital.
Prior to the meeting, Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President’s Special Envoy on Syria emphasized the significance of the Astana talks for the Syrian settlement amid the tensions in the Middle East. The talks were initiated upon the request of the guarantor states to preserve the settlement process.
Lavrentiev pointed out that this round of talks is an opportunity to discuss various issues, including tensions along the Syrian-Jordanian and Syrian-Iraqi borders.
A concluding statement is expected to be issued at the end of the meeting, which is attended by delegations from the guarantor states, Russia, Iran, and Turkey along with the UN, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq as observers.
The 20th Astana talks focused on the normalization of ties between Ankara and Damascus amid differences regarding the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian territories.
Since 2017, 21 Astana meetings have been held, including two in the Russian resort of Sochi on the Black Sea coast.