Alexander Lavrentiev (center) at a meeting on the Syrian settlement in Astana (archive photo)
In Astana on Tuesday, March 14th, started the third round of talks on Syria. It is reported by RIA Novosti.
It is expected a series of bilateral and trilateral consultations. Currently there is a meeting of the Russian delegation, headed by the special representative of the President Alexander Lavrentyev, with representatives of the UN headed by Milos Strugar.
From the Russian delegation in the meeting are Director of the Department of Middle East and North Africa, Sergey Vershinin, Deputy head of Main operational Department Stanislav Gadzhimagomedov.
Turkey and Iran are represented at the level of Deputy Ministers.
As told journalists the head of Ministry of foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov, on Tuesday it is expected the arrival of the delegation from the armed opposition groups of Syria “southern front”.
At the meeting in Astana, according to him, issues on the establishment of the working group on exchange of prisoners and humanitarian demining objects.
Earlier it was reported that the Syrian rebels have refused to participate in the new round of negotiations in Astana to resolve the situation in the middle Eastern state.
On 11 March, the representatives of the armed opposition put forward several conditions for negotiations. Among the demands was named the postponement of the talks in the capital of Kazakhstan, the completion of the discussion on the mechanism of the ceasefire that was agreed in Ankara before meeting in Astana.
On the same day the UN security Council called on the parties to the conflict to continue negotiations in a constructive manner and without preconditions. The Council members acknowledged that the continuation of political negotiations became possible due to progress in Astana the agreement on a cease-fire.