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Trilateral mechanism on Syria finalized — Kremlin source

Participants in the Astana meeting on Syria have approved the statement concerning the Joint Group for monitoring the ceasefire

MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. As participants in the Astana meeting on Syria approved the statement concerning the Joint Group for monitoring the ceasefire, drawn up by Russia, Iran and Turkey, the trilateral mechanism has been finalized, a source in the Russian Presidential Administration told reporters.

"All the participants approved the statement concerning the Joint Group for monitoring the ceasefire, drawn up by Russia, Iran and Turkey, which is the main result of the Astana meeting," the source said. "It means that the trilateral mechanism has been finalized. The trilateral joint group will be responsible for ensuring conducive conditions for maintaining the ceasefire as well as separating the armed opposition units from terror groups, such as the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, and building confidence in order to facilitate the intra-Syrian dialogue under the United Nations auspices," the source added.

The international meeting on settling the Syrian crisis was held in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana on February 16. The participants adopted a statement concerning the joint operational group for monitoring the ceasefire, comprised of the three guarantor countries, that is, Russia, Turkey and Iran. The trilateral mechanism aims at tackling the entire range of issues concerning the ceasefire.

However, documents concerning the methods of recording ceasefire violations and sanctions to be imposed on those who violated the ceasefire are still to be agreed, on as well as documents concerning the areas controlled by the armed opposition. The documents are supposed to be adopted within a month.