Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Sochi, SANA- Russian President’s Special Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev has affirmed that the 15th International Meeting on Syria within Astana Format will discuss the support for the efforts to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria and the need to continue the war against terrorism till eradicating it completely.
“No middle-way solutions with terrorists, either Daesh “ISIS” or Jabhat al-Nusra,” Lavrentiev said in statements to journalists on Tuesday on the sidelines of the International Meeting in the Russian city of Sochi, adding that over the last three months, activating sleeper cells of Daesh “ISIS” terrorist organization and escalating the attacks launched by terrorist organizations in the de-escalation zone in Idleb have been clear.
He noted that the guarantor states of Astana Process intend during the meeting to give a strong a strong impetus to the political settlement process and to discuss the return of Syrian refugees to their country and the economic situation in Syria, in addition to the repercussions of the unilateral coercive economic measures imposed by the US and Western states on Syria which has been suffering from a tight siege, adding that the continuation of imposing sanctions on the Syrian people mustn’t be allowed.
Lavrentiev underlined the importance of the activities of the Committee of Discussing the Constitution in Geneva in finding a political solution to the crisis in Syria, adding that during the fourth and fifth rounds, many interesting ideas and proposals were expressed and work is underway to provide a constructive atmosphere for its work.
He asserted that the US rejected to participate in the 15th International Meeting within Astana Format, saying “We sent an invitation to our US partners to participate in the meeting, but unfortunately it was rejected as the Americans are currently busy with their internal affairs.”
Earlier on the day, the 15th International Meeting on Syria within Astana Format started activities in the Russian Sochi Resort at the Black Sea coast with the participation of the Syrian Arab Republic delegation headed by Dr. Ayman Sousan, Assistant Foreign and Expatriates Minister.
Delegations from the guarantor states of Astana Process are participating in the meeting as they include the Russian delegation, headed by Russian President’s Special Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev and the delegation of the Iranian Islamic Republic, headed by Senior Aide of the Iranian Foreign Minister for Special Political Affairs Ali Asghar Khaji, in addition to the delegation of the Turkish regime.
The participants in the meeting also include representatives of the countries that enjoy the observer status in the Astana process, namely Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, as well as the United Nations, whose delegation is headed by the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria Geir Pedersen, as well as a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which provided to host the Astana process, and representatives from the so-called “Syrian armed opposition.”
Ruaa al-Jazaeri
