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Outside players should signal support of ceasefire in Syria — Lavrov

Moscow confirms it is important to coordinate efforts, including between the Astana Format and Qatar and other Persian Gulf countries
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. All outside players should send signals to parties to the Syrian conflict to support ceasefire, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.

"The Astana Format continues, next week in Tehran would be a meeting of experts, they will discuss preparations for the round due on May 3-4 in Astana," Lavrov said. "The signals we are receiving from the armed opposition show they are getting ready for the round. This is also what our Turkish counterparts, working with them, are confirming to us."

"During today’s talks we touched upon this topic (Astana process on Syria - TASS)," Lavrov said. "The minister (Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani) assured us he would support the format using own contacts there.

Moscow, Lavrov continued, considers approach of the kind quite constructive and confirms it "is important to coordinate efforts, including between the Astana Format and Qatar and the other Persian Gulf countries."

"In fact, it would be optimal, if all outer players in Syria sent clear coordinated signals ceasefire should be observed strictly in compliance with the Astana agreements," he said.

"Clearly, the ceasefire is not effective for the organizations, which the UN SC recognized as terrorist organizations," the Russian minister said. "Moreover, a participation in ceasefire of the armed groups outside IS or Jabhat al-Nusra (outlawed in Russia - TASS) is clearly the criteria of differentiating between them and terrorists.".