ASTANA, November 12. /TASS/. Russia is taking note of attempts by third countries to take advantage of the situation in the Middle East to destabilize Syria, Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said.

"We record attempts by third countries to use the regional tensions in order to further destabilize the situation in Syria. We fear that there may be an outbreak of violence in southern Syria," he said after the 22nd international meeting on Syria in the Astana format.

According to the envoy, there are also "great fears that the radical Islamic groups based in the Idlib de-escalation zone may take advantage of the difficulties the Syrian Arab Republic is experiencing to occupy more land and launch offensive operations against government forces."

"You yourself understand that all these moments will not contribute to the stabilization and de-escalation of the situation in Syria, it will only lead to another outbreak of violence," he concluded.