UN: Iran-Russia-Turkey Trio Not A Substitute for ISSG
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The United Nations representative in a new round of Syria peace negotiations in Kazakhstan said a trilateral group –comprised of Iran, Russia and Turkey- which has initiated the Astana talks is not going to replace the International Syria Support Group (ISSG).
The trio of Iran, Russia and Turkey is not a replacement for ISSG, special envoy of the UN secretary-general for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said at a meeting with head of Iran’s diplomatic delegation in the peace talks, Hossein Jaberi Ansari, on Sunday.
The UN envoy also voiced the international body’s readiness to facilitate the Astana peace negotiations between the Syrian government and the armed opposition groups, slated for Monday and Tuesday.
De Mistura then expressed the hope that the new round of discussions would strengthen ceasefire in Syria and pave the way for the political settlement of a crisis that has gripped the Arab country for six years.
The meeting came after diplomatic delegations from Iran, Russia, and Turkey held a five-hour meeting to review their plans for the two-day negotiations and discuss a final communiqué.
Jaberi Ansari has announced earlier that Tehran will pursue a four-point plan that it had put forward earlier, entailing preservation of Syria’s territorial integrity.
Diplomatic efforts to end fighting in Syria have gained momentum in recent weeks with the announcement of a ceasefire in the Arab country earlier this month.
The truce, which has been negotiated between Russia, Iran, Turkey, the Damascus government and the Syrian opposition, excludes terrorist groups such as Daesh and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.
