MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/. Moscow and Ankara will make joint efforts to create conditions for the return of Syrian refugees to their home country, which will help launch a political process, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said following talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday.
"Moscow and Ankara are interested in cooperating in creating conditions for the safe and dignified return of Syrian nationals to their home country," he said. "We will make joint efforts so that these processes help stabilize the situation and resolve issues that must be resolved before a political process begins," Lavrov noted. "We plan to make efforts to eliminate terrorists in Syria and establish sustainable peace and stability in the country," the Russian top diplomat added.
Besides, according to Lavrov, global issues were also touched upon at the meeting. "We focused on the situation in Syria, including the implementation of agreements reached at the Astana-format summits, high-level and expert meetings, as well as the execution of decisions made at the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, which relate to the formation of a constitutional committee," he said, adding that "the work goes on, we have discussed ways to complete it as soon as possible."
Participants in the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, held in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on January 30, decided to establish a constitutional committee that will work on the country’s new constitution together with de Mistura. The full candidate list will comprise 150 people, including 100 representatives of the Syrian government and domestic opposition, as well as 50 members of the foreign-based opposition. The UN envoy suggested that the committee should consist of no more than 50 members.