De-escalation zones in Syria not aimed against territorial integrity - UN Envoy
The UN envoy added that political stabilization phase in Syria should be starting "more or less together" with the deescalation phase.
"I want to emphasize, this deescalation agreement is considered to be interim, not undermining Syrian territorial integrity and unity ... Interim means that these deescalation areas and practical arrangements should not become a preparation to... what could become de-facto areas of influence or partition of the country," de Mistura said.
De Mistura also said that the agreement on deescalation zones reached by the Presidents of Russia and the United States Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is "a step in the right direction," adding that it already helps the Geneva discussions and will help the Astana discussions as well, Sputnik reports.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin that the United States, Russia and Jordan agreed on ceasefire in southwestern Syriastarting at noon on July 9. The United States and Russia have committed themselves to ensuring the implementation of the ceasefire.
On May 4, Russia, Turkey and Iran signed a memorandumon the establishment of safe zones in war-torn Syria as part of the the Astana talks on Syrian settlement. The four zones include the northwestern Idlib province and parts of the neighboring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces, the north of the central Homs province, eastern Ghouta near Damascus and certain parts in the country's southern Deraa and Quneitra provinces. The memorandum on these de-escalation zones took effect on May 6.
Фото: © AFP 2017/ STR