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Conflict in Syria

Syrian National Dialogue Congress may soon be held in Sochi

The presidents of Russia, Iran and Turkey have held a meeting on Syria on November 22

SOCHI, November 22. /TASS/. The National Dialog Congress with the participation of the Syrian government and representatives of opposition is planned to be held in Sochi in the near future, said a joint statement adopted upon results of the Syrian settlement talks between the presidents of Russia, Iran and Turkey, Vladimir Putin, Hassan Rouhani and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"The three presidents expressed support to the intra-Syrian dialog with the participation of representatives from all segments of the country’s society," the document said.

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Russian, Turkish, Iranian presidents adopt joint declaration on Syria

Under the statement, Putin, Rouhani and Erdogan "urged representatives of the Syrian government and opposition speaking in favor of sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian state to take constructive part in the Syrian National Dialog Congress in Sochi in the near future."

The three heads of state also agreed to support success of this intra-Syrian forum. "Iran, Russia and Turkey will hold consultations and make a decision pertaining participants in the Congress," the document said.

Rouhani told Vladimir Putin on Wednesday he hoped the Syrian National Dialogue Congress would convene shortly.

"I hope the Syrian National Congress will be held here [in Sochi] shortly," he said. "This conference will mark an important step along the way [to Syrian peace settlement]."

Earlier on the same day, Rouhani said the trilateral summit meeting of the leaders of Russian, Iran and Turkey had been "very useful". "I think today’s meeting is very important for establishing peace and stability in Syria. We’ll a tremendous thing if we stop bloodshed and bring peace back to the Syrian land at least an hour earlier."

Rouhani also mentioned Iranian-Russia bilateral ties and said with satisfaction "they have been very cordial and positive".

He said bilateral cooperation was positive at the bilateral level and, on top of that, at the regional and international levels.

"The strengthening of our cooperation meets the interests of our two peoples and of the region on the whole and it isn’t spearheaded at any third countries," Rouhani said, voicing the hope Russia and Iran would be able to make important steps towards consolidating their ties in the future, too.

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Syrian conflict

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