Sergei Lavrov
The Minister of foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson at a meeting in Alaska on may 10-11 to discuss the initiative on creation of zones of de-escalation in Syria. This was stated by Deputy Russian foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, according to “Interfax” .
“Contacts with our American partners, I think, will be intensified, because not only Syria, but other problematic situation in the middle East and Africa require more cohesion,” said the diplomat.
May 4 in Astana hosted the fourth international meeting on Syria. Representatives of the countries-guarantors — Russia, Turkey and Iran signed a Memorandum on the establishment in Syria of four security zones. Based on the text of the document, the security zone will be established in the following regions: in the province of Idlib, in areas of Latakia, Aleppo and Hama; in the North of HOMS province; in Eastern ghouta, on the South of Syria — the provinces of Deraa and Quneitra. In these areas it is planned to deliver humanitarian aid and to prohibit on their territory the use of weapons.
Assessing the results of the negotiations, the U.S. state Department expressed Turkey’s and Russia’s gratitude for efforts to achieve the above-mentioned agreements. The UN has also welcomed the results of the meeting in the first place — plans for the formation of zones of de-escalation.
On may 2, the presidents of Russia and USA Vladimir Putin and Donald trump held a telephone conversation. As highlighted in the statement on the website of the Kremlin, during the meeting, emphasis was placed on the prospect coordination of actions between Moscow and Washington in the fight against international terrorism in the context of the Syrian crisis. In particular, the two sides agreed to intensify the dialogue between the foreign Ministers of the two countries to search options, designed to consolidate the cessation of hostilities, to give it stability and controllability.