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Talks on Syria in Astana format due in Kazakh capital city on June 20-21

On the agenda are changes in the regional situation around Syria and the situation on the ground, efforts toward a comprehensive settlement in Syria, the fight against terrorism, trust-building measures, including the release of hostages and the search for the missing, the humanitarian situation

ASTANA, June 16. /TASS/. Fresh talks in the Astana format will be held in the Kazakh capital city on June 20-21 to discuss the situation around Syria, the press service of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"On June 20-21, 2023, the city of Astana will host the next, 20th international meeting on Syria in the Astana format. Delegations from the guarantor countries - Russia, Turkey and Iran - as well as representatives from the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition will take part in the talks. Observers from the UN, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq are expected to attend," the press service said.

On the agenda are changes in the regional situation around Syria and the situation on the ground, efforts toward a comprehensive settlement in Syria, the fight against terrorism, trust-building measures, including the release of hostages and the search for the missing, the humanitarian situation, the international community working together to facilitate Syria’s post-conflict restoration, as well as work to create conditions for the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

"Four-party consultations of deputy foreign ministers from Iran, Russia, Syria and Turkey are expected on the first day to discuss work on a draft road map for normalizing Syrian-Turkish relations, as well as bilateral and trilateral consultations between the countries taking part in the Astana process," the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said.

"On the following day, further consultations, a plenary session and a press conference are planned," it said.

In addition, a regular meeting of the working group for the release of detainees and hostages, the transfer of bodies of the dead and search for those missing is planned within the framework of the talks with the participation of the guarantor countries, the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

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