Moscow Hopes Agreements on Establishing De-Escalation Zone in Idleb Would Soon Be Completed

MOSCOW-Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia hopes that the agreements on the establishment of a de-escalation zone in Idleb would soon be completed.

“We expect that the current consultations among Astana process members will confirm the agreements concerning the fourth de-escalation zone – in Idleb, following the setup of de-escalation zones in western Syria, Eastern Ghouta and in the Homs area,” Lavrov said at a press conference with his Cambodian counterpart., SANA reported.

 He added that the issue of separating “the opposition” from terrorists was hard to agree on during the talks on de-escalation zones.

“It is the goal that the Obama administration had vowed to achieve but failed,” he pointed out.

Lavrov added that the initiative to set up de-escalation zones is aimed at creating conditions for putting an end to bloodshed and launching direct dialogue between the Syrian government and opposition.

“It is perfectly clear that such dialogue and cessation of hostilities in general cannot involve terrorists from ISIS or Jabhat al-Nusra groups, as well as other groups blacklisted by the United Nations Security Council,” Lavrov said.