Kazakh Foreign Ministry urges support to Astana, Geneva processes for Syria
ASTANA. April 10 (Interfax) - Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov has urged all sides to support the Astana and Geneva processes for Syria.
"We are urging all sides interested in a peaceful settlement of the Syrian conflict to support the Astana process, and, primary, the Geneva process supervised by the United Nations. Let us wait and see how the sides will respond. I believe that common sense will win, and all sides capable of bolstering these processes [...], every involved side will support them to the fullest extent," Abdrakhmanov told reporters in Astana on Monday.
"Of course," the minister answered the question as to whether preparations for the next Astana meeting were ongoing.
"This time, we have an advantageous position in regard to those preparations, as we have learned from guarantor countries that they are going to convene one meeting in Tehran and that the principal meeting will take place in Astana in May," Abdrakhmanov said.
"Kazakhstan would like the Astana process to involve all sides interested in strengthening the Syria ceasefire," the minister said.
The range of participants in the Astana process could be expanded, he said.
"To our mind, their circle could be expanded, yet the guarantor countries have the final say," Abdrakhmanov said.