Russia hopes de-escalation zones will be enacted at Astana meeting - Lavrov

KUWAIT CITY, August 28. /TASS/. Moscow hopes the de-escalation zones will be enacted at a meeting on Syria in Astana, which will be held in the near future, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday following talks with Kuwait’s top diplomat Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. "Our [Kuwaiti] partners spoke highly of Russia’s efforts today. From the very start, they have vigorously supported the Astana platform, the agreements reached there by Russia, Turkey and Iran with the participation of observers from Jordan and the US and with the UN involvement," Russia’s top diplomat said. "Now they note with satisfaction that these agreements do not just remain on paper. They are being implemented, although not as fast as we would like, but the situation is not easy either." Lavrov recalled that three de-escalation zones had already been set up (in southern Syria, in the Easten Ghouta and Homs areas), while the fourth one is being established near Idlib. "The next meeting in the ‘Astana format’ where I hope these agreements will be ultimately enshrined in legal documents will be held soon," Russia’s top diplomat said. "Kuwait highly appreciates Russia’s role, the country’s foreign minister emphasized that without the Astana platform there would be no chances that have now appeared in the political process, including at the Geneva talks," the Russian minister noted. Read more