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Conflict in Syria

UN envoy for Syria: Without efforts in Astana talks in Geneva cannot be successful

Russia's top diplomat also told De Mistura that all the players active in Syria and abroad should coordinate their actions to achieve a result that would guarantee the sovereignty of the Syrian state

United Nations’ special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

United Nations’ special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

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Putin: Russia protecting Syria from dismemberment rather than shielding Assad

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. Without efforts in Astana the Geneva process cannot be successful, because these talks complement each other, the United Nations’ special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said at negotiations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday.

The Astana process is connected with the one in Geneva in a certain way, he said.

"Without a good de-escalation process Geneva talks will be difficult, but without the Geneva progress there will be no horizon," he said.

"I look forward also to the meeting with the Minister of Defense Shoigu, so that we can also address some issues related to humanitarian assistance, demining and linked to the consolidation of the de-escalation environment."

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United Nations Syrian conflict

Middle East conflict

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