Russian Foreign Ministry expects talks on Syria to continue in Astana, Geneva
MOSCOW. April 5 (Interfax) - Moscow is expecting that talks aimed at maintaining the Syrian ceasefire will continue in Astana and Geneva, Deputy Foreign Ministry Sergei Ryabkov said.
"The issues concerning further efforts toward making this [ceasefire] regime more sustainable should be worked out in the same format, in the Astana format, which is what we will be doing. In parallel, there mustn't be any easing on the efforts on the political settlement made in Geneva where we expect the talks to continue under the aegis of the UN Secretary General's special envoy," Ryabkov told reporters when asked by Interfax whether Moscow is ready to facilitate introduction of a 72-hour humanitarian pause.
"We and the guarantor states are working out the issues of cessation of hostilities and observance of the cessation of hostilities regime in the so-called Astana format. The Russian center for reconciliation in Hmeimim is exercising the round-the-clock monitoring of what is happening. The number of clashes and instances of use of force has decreased multifold compared to the last year," Ryabkov said.