Guarantors of Syria’s Cessation of Hostilities Reaffirm Commitment to Syria’s Territorial Integrity, Sovereignty

ASTANA- Iran, Russia and Turkey, guarantors of the Syria “ceasefire”, have reaffirmed their strong commitment to the Arab country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity after a tripartite foreign ministerial meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Russian and Turkish counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and Mevlut Carusoglu, convened in the Kazakh capital to address the situation in Syria on Friday, Press TV reported.

The city has been hosting talks aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the seven-year crisis in Syria.

 In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Tehran, Moscow and Ankara “reaffirmed their strong and continued commitment to the sovereignty and independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic.”

 They also expressed satisfaction with the “concrete contribution of the Astana process to improvement of the situation in Syria during the last year, calling for continued “coordinated efforts” to make sure the reduction in violence in Syria would be “irreversible.”

The guarantor states further “reiterated their conviction that there was no military solution to the crisis in Syria.”

They underlined the need for a political solution to the crisis “through an inclusive, free, fair, and transparent Syrian-led and Syrian-owned process leading to a constitution enjoying the support of the Syrian people, and free and fair elections with the participation of all eligible Syrians under appropriate UN supervision.”

The meeting is expected to lay ground for a summit involving the presidents of the three countries in Istanbul on April 4.

The ministers were slated to focus on the situation in Eastern Ghouta, in the Idlib de-escalation zone and setting up a constitutional commission, among other issues.

The situation in Eastern Ghouta was expected to take center stage at the talks. The Syrian army, backed by Russian air cover, is conducting an operation against the terrorists in the Damascus suburb and, at the same time, evacuating civilians through humanitarian corridors.

Any Progress in Astana Process Gives Impetus to Political Settlement in Syria: Lavrov

 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has affirmed that Astana process on Syria has proven its importance in attaining peaceful settlement in Syria.

Lavrov made the remarks on Friday at the beginning of a meeting between the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey in the Kazakh capital, Astana, the Syrian news Agency reported.

“Any progress achieved in Astana gives impetus to political settlement in Syria,” Lavrov said, pointing out that the parties violating international laws and the UNSC Resolution No. 2254 are adopting schemes that threaten Syria’s territorial integrity and this indicate their unwillingness to agree on Astana talks.   

US Threats to Strike Syria Unacceptable

 In a statement to reporters, Lavrov slammed US threats to strike Syria as “unacceptable.”

“The threats to carry out unilateral military strikes on Syria, including Damascus, recently voiced by the United States, as it was last April based on unsubstantiated accusations against the Syrian government of using chemical weapons, are unacceptable and inadmissible. [We] have clearly said that to US representatives via diplomatic and military channels,” he said according to Sputnik.

Earlier this week, US Envoy to UN Nikky Haley threatened a Washington strike against Damascus in the event of alleged chemical weapons being used in Syria.

Responding to Haley’s statement, the Russian General Staff said that Moscow’s armed forces would respond if the lives of Russian servicemen in Syria were threatened, including in the event of a missile strike on Damascus.

Need to distinguish terrorists in Syria from the “opposition”

Lavrov reiterated Friday the need to distinguish terrorists in Syria from the “opposition”, urging the United States to fight against terrorists in Eastern Ghouta.

“I hope that the US-led coalition realizes the necessity of not fencing off terrorists, as is happening now in Eastern Ghouta, but will fight terrorist groups consistently and on principle,” Lavrov said.

The minister stated that the progress achieved at the Astana talks on the Syrian settlement, including due to Russia’s efforts, was not being welcomed by those striving to divide the country into small territories under their control.

 “Those who, in violation of all norms of international law, in violation of Resolution 2254, obviously seek to divide Syria, to replace the regime so that this important Middle Eastern country is replaced by small principalities, controlled by external players, certainly do not welcome what we are doing in Astana, we are trying to achieve in Astana,” Lavrov said in a welcoming speech before the talks with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts in Astana.

Hamda Mustafa