Kazakh FM comments on Astana process role in Syrian peace settlement
"The agreements within the framework of the Astana process concern only one segment of the settlement of the situation in Syria, namely the specific ceasefire regime (of December 2016) and the de-escalation zones created thereupon," Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said in an interview with Kazinform News Agency.
As the minister noted, one should proceed exactly from that understanding when assessing the agreements reached between Iran, Russia, and Turkey within the framework of the Astana process. Besides, the guarantor countries, as well as the government of the Syrian Arab Republic and several groups of Syrian armed opposition representing over 2,000 settlements act as parties to these agreements.
According to him, there is no reason to question the effectiveness of the ceasefire regime and the establishment of de-escalation zones.
"Therefore, the importance of the Astana process and the past eight rounds of talks can hardly be overstated. The main goal to create conditions for the cessation of hostilities has been accomplished. The Syrian government and the armed opposition sat down at the negotiating table in Astana. Since the start of 2017, the violence level and the civilian casualties have drastically reduced. A mechanism to monitor the compliance with the cessation of hostilities has been introduced. Certain confidence-building measures have been set up. In general, the humanitarian situation tended to be better over the course of the last year," Kairat Abdrakhmanov pointed out.
Mr. Abdrakhmanov expressed concern over negative development of the situation in Eastern Ghouta with numerous civilian casualties including women and children.
"Kazakhstan calls on all forces standing for an early settlement to the Syrian conflict, including the government of Syria and the armed opposition, to fully comply with the ceasefire regime. An impartial analysis of the situation in Eastern Ghouta by international organizations and their humanitarian missions is needed," he insisted.
The Kazakh top diplomat also said that the Syrian authorities are required to immediately lift the siege of Eastern Ghouta, and all parties must ensure safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid deliveries to the affected area, as well as the evacuation of people in need of medical assistance.
The minister expressed hope that at the meeting scheduled to be held in the capital of Kazakhstan in mid-March 2018 the foreign ministers of the Astana process guarantor countries will take additional productive steps to strictly implement the agreements on ceasefire and de-escalation zones in Syria.
"We expect the guarantor countries to use their authority and influence so that the government and the armed opposition of Syria could take the first real steps towards strengthening confidence-building measures including by exchanging detainees and handing over dead bodies. In principle, we believe that the Astana process has proved to be an effective mechanism for supporting the efforts of the United Nations on Syria including within the framework of the Geneva platform, which is the main one in the settlement of the conflict in that country. It is also important to consolidate the efforts of all the countries concerned for creating a Global Anti-Terrorist Coalition (Network) under the UN auspices as was proposed by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in September 2015 in New York," the minister summarized.
