Syrian government delegation arrives in Kazakhstan to attend 18th Astana talks
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian government delegation arrived in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, on Tuesday to attend the 18th round of Astana talks on Syria.
The government delegation was headed by Assistant Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Dr. Ayman Sousan, according to what was reported by the official SANA agency.
All parties of the talks on Syria in the Astana format confirmed their participation in the meeting to be held in the capital of Kazakhstan on June 15-16, Aibek Smadiyarov, an official representative of Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters on Tuesday.
“All parties to the Astana process on Syria have confirmed their participation in the talks to be held in the capital of Kazakhstan on June 15-16. Delegations from the guarantor states – Russia, Turkey and Iran, as well as the Syrian government and the Syrian armed opposition – will take part,” Smadiyarov said.
A UN delegation led by Robert Dunn, Chief Political Affairs Officer of the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, a delegation from Jordan, representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross will participate in the meeting as observers,” the foreign ministry representative explained.
On December 22 last year, the 17th round of talks concluded with the participation of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, and delegations from Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, as observers.
The Astana peace process to end the conflict was launched in January 2017 at the initiative of Turkey, Russia and Iran.