MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. Russia supports dialogue between the Kurds and Damascus on Syria’s future, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during Thursday’s briefing.

"For hundreds of years, Syria has been a country where various ethnic and confessional groups lived together in peace. This was Syria’s calling card. Of course, this deserves respect, and we have mentioned this several times," she said. "We are confident that such historic traditions must be maintained and carried on. We believe that Syrian Kurds are an integral part of the Syrian people. Based on this principal stance, Moscow supports dialogue between the Kurds and Damascus on the future governance of their shared homeland."

"Syrians must determine for themselves what their country will be like, so that its entire population, regardless of their ethnicity or denomination, will feel safe and at peace," Zakharova continued. "It is important to take this into account in the context of the long fight against terrorists, including foreign terrorists."

She stressed that Syrians are tasked with recovering their homeland based on the shared commitment to sovereignty, independence and a united approach to such issues as territorial integrity.