Russia to continue working with Syrian govt, opposition on agreement on POWs

ASTANA, October 31. /TASS/. Moscow will continue working with the Syrian government and the opposition on a document regulating the exchanges of prisoners of war and hostages, the special envoy of the Russian President for Syrian peace settlement, Alexander Lavrentyev, said on Tuesday. "We didn’t manage to coordinate the two documents [provisions for a workgroup on the exchanges of forcibly held persons and bodies of the dead and on humanitarian mine clearing - TASS] although they’ve already taken the shape acceptable for everyone," Lavrentyev said. "There are still a few questions that require technical solution." He noted along with it the importance "of what is already in place". "Efforts continue at the level of local councils in the zones of de-escalation now. Exchange of bodies of the dead and release of prisoners is taking place and that’s why efforts at the local level are being made." "We think this document is really very important and we’ll continue pressing for its adoption," Lavrentyev said. Read more