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Conflict in Syria

Russia hopes Trump administration will send Mideast expert to Astana talks

Russia agrees with Trump that the struggle against Islamic State is a priority

© AP Photo/Matt Rourke

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US embassy in Russia passes to Washington invitations to Astana talks on Syria

MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. Russia hopes that the administration of new US President Donald Trump will delegate a Middle East expert to the negotiations on Syria in Astana, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with his Kazakhstani counterpart Kairat Abdrakhmanov on Friday.

"We hope the Donald Trump administration will also be able to delegate a Middle East expert," the Russian foreign minister said.

Lavrov also said that Russia agrees with US President-elect Donald Trump that the struggle against the terrorist organization Islamic State (outlawed in Russia) is a priority and it hopes for effective international cooperation on the issue.

"Donald Trump has said more than once that the struggle against the Islamic State will be his priority in the international scene. We absolutely agree with this approach and we expect that in the new conditions international cooperation on the anti-terrorist front will be developing far more effectively," Lavrov said.

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Sergey Lavrov Syrian conflict Donald Trump

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