The United Nations, SANA – Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, described the just-ended Astana talks as “an important shake-up” for the process of peace settlement of the Syrian crisis.
Tass News Agency quoted Churkin as saying that “I think everybody agrees it was an important shake-up for the settlement process. Now it needs to continue in Geneva, new people are going to be involved now into these discussions.”
Churkin added that he doesn’t think the communique adopted after the Astana talks needs any approval from the United Nations Security Council. “I haven’t received any instructions to that effect from Moscow,” he noted.
The final Joint Statement of Astana meeting affirmed commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. It also provided for that the Syrian crisis can only be solved through a political process, in addition to announcing the establishment of a trilateral mechanism to observe and ensure full compliance with the ceasefire, prevent any provocations and determine all modalities of the ceasefire.
R.Raslan / Ghossoun