MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Iraq positively assesses Russia’s role in the political settlement of the conflict in Syria, Deputy Foreign Minister Nazar Issa Abdulhadi Al-Khairullah said on Friday at the meeting with chairman of the Russian State Duma’s International Affairs Committee Alexey Pushkov.
Pushkov’s press service said that the main topic on the agenda was the settlement of the Syrian crisis. The sides also discussed the prospects of observing ceasefire, "the role of regional powers and coordination of the list of terrorist organizations."
"The Iraqi deputy foreign minister assured that the Iraqi government positively assesses Russia’s role in the political settlement in Syria," the press service said.
Pushkov and Al-Khairullah also "expressed interest" in developing bilateral Russian-Iraqi relations proceeding from the fact that "cooperation will be expanded not only in the defense industry but also in the spheres of energy, infrastructure, culture and education," the press service noted.
On Monday night Russia and the United States released a joint statement saying that the ceasefire will take effect in Syria at 00:00 Damascus Time on February 27.
"The United States of America and the Russian Federation, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and seeking to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis with full respect for the fundamental role of the United Nations, are fully determined to provide their strongest support to end the Syrian conflict and establish conditions for a successful Syrian-led political transition process, facilitated by the UN," the joint statement of the United States and Russia said.
The statement points out that the cessation of hostilities is to be applied to all parties to the Syrian conflict but for Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Islamic State) and Jebhat an-Nusra (both are banned in Russia) "or other terrorist organizations designated by the UN Security Council."