Iran Press/Middle East: Alexander Lavrentiev reaffirmed that the three guarantor states of a ceasefire in Syria are "clearly determined" to continue their fight against terrorism in the Arab country; Iran Press reported quoting Press TV.
In a press statement at the end of the first day of the 12th round of Astana talks on Thursday, the Russian president’s special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev has announced that: “The talks dealt with the situation in Syria in general, and in the northwestern region of Idlib in particular where the terrorist organization of Jabhat al-Nusra controls the majority of the area”.
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The situation on the ground in Idlib, which is under the control of al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra, was also discussed, Lavrentiev said.
He said there would be no ceasefire with the al-Nusra front but that minimizing harm to “peaceful citizens” was a priority in the fight against the terrorist group.
“The talks were held within a practical atmosphere,” he said. However, “several unclear issues” were slowing the formation of a constitutional committee which the United Nations hopes will drive a political settlement for Syria. He added that the talks over the committee were “complex” but “moving forward.”
“We are on a complex path towards forming the constitutional committee. There are some unclear issues,” he told reporters, went on saying that "(We are) moving forward…I think tomorrow (Friday) at the plenary session we will be able to put these issues to a general discussion,” he noted.
Last Friday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad called for progress in stalled talks on a so-called buffer zone around Idlib province in a meeting with Lavrentiev in Damascus.
The Syrian president also stressed his government’s determination to eliminate terrorist groups which are holed up in Idlib and attack civilians in neighboring areas.
Delegations from Iran, Russia, and Turkey arrived in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan seeking an end to the eight-year conflict in Syria. The UN envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, is also participating in the talks. 212 / 104
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