The meeting in the Astana format will proceed as planned, despite the date and location not being finalized yet, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said.
"The Astana format has undoubtedly been, is, and will remain the most effective approach towards achieving a long-term settlement in Syria. Significant progress has been made, and we continue to work diligently within this framework. The list of tasks is growing, and while a meeting in the Astana format is planned, the specific date and venue have not been determined yet. Kazakhstan has played a crucial role in this format, and I believe there is even more potential for Kazakhstan to contribute further to its continued success," the diplomat stated.
On June 20-21, another international meeting on Syria in the Astana format was held in Astana. Delegations from the guarantor countries - Russia, Turkey and Iran - along with representatives from the Syrian government and opposition attended the talks. Observers from the UN, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq also participated. The talks on Syria in the Kazakh capital first began in January 2017. Following the 20th meeting of the Astana format on June 21, Kazakhstan's Deputy Foreign Minister Kanat Tumysh stated that it would be the last. However, on June 22, the Kazakh MFA commented that the country is prepared to resume the talks on Syria in the Astana format in their capital as a goodwill gesture if requested collectively by the involved parties.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS