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Damascus taking steps to reconcile with opposition in Idlib, says Lavrov

Turkey is responsible for the maintenance of stability in the Idlib zone of de-escalation

MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. Damascus is making steps to arrange local reconciliation in Idlib Governorate with the paramilitary units, the leaders of which are seeking to break away from the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist grouping [outlawed in Russia by a ruling of the Supreme Court in 1914 - TASS], Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday upon the completion of talks with Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem.

"We exchanged assessments of the progress of the steps to differentiate the armed opposition ready for dialogue with the Syrian government from the terrorists," he said.

"We briefed [the Syrian side] on the talks we continue with Turkey," Lavrov said.

Turkey is responsible for the maintenance of stability in the Idlib zone of de-escalation.

"Our Syrian friends shared with us the information on the progress of their efforts to arrange more local reconciliations with the armed units stranded in Idlib and willing to break away from Jabhat al-Nusra, as well as on the efforts to ensure civilians’ security in that zone of de-escalation," Lavrov said.