Int'l negotiations on Syria crisis kicks off in Astana

The President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev delivered a speech in the general session of the event.

Nazarbayev pointed to participants' valuable efforts, expressing hope for Astana talks to pave the way for peace and to present political solution for Syria crisis.

According to the agenda, heads of Iranian, Syrian and Turkish delegations are to expound on three countries' stances and convergence to find a political solution.

The 2-day negotiations is being held behind the closed doors, but some non-confidential parts will be displayed for reporters through video conference.

On the sidelines of the event, Syrian delegation headed by Syria permanent ambassador to UN Bashar Jafari and in partnership with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura is scheduled to hold talks with Syrian armed opposition groups.

The event aims at reinforcing and sustaining the truce which has been established in Syria since December 30 and to find political solutions for the Syria crisis.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari, Deputy
Undersecretary for the Middle East and Africa at the Foreign Ministry of Turkey Sedat Onal, Russia Foreign Minister’s Special Representative on the Middle East Settlement and Director of the Ministry’s Middle East and North Africa Department Sergey Vershinin participated in the event.

Iranian, Russian and Turkish delegations holding several bilateral and trilateral talks in Astana on Sunday and Monday consulted on establishing more coordination aiming at increasing success chance in negotiations.

Astana meeting has been planned to remove obstacles on the way of resuming Syrian peace talks in Geneva which has been stopped by sabotage of armed Syrian opposition groups.

Iranian delegation arrived in Astana Saturday morning to take part in the talks also attended by the representatives of Russia, Turkey, and the Syrian government, non-terrorist opposition groups and the United Nations.

9376**1771