Parties of Astana process on Syria to meet again on Dec 21, 22

ASTANA. KAZINFORM The next round of the peace talks within the framework of the Astana process on Syria will be held on December 21-22, Kazinform correspondent cites the Kazakh MFA press service.

It is noted that during the upcoming talks, the parties are expected to adopt the provision on the working group on the release of the detained persons, the handover of bodies of those killed, and search for the missing. The participants also intend to discuss the functioning of the de-escalation zones and approve a joint statement on humanitarian demining in Syria, including UNESCO facilities.

During the seventh round of talks in October, the guarantor countries adopted a joint statement underscoring that the conflicting parties need to take measures for strengthening of trust, including the release of detainees, in order to create the best conditions for the political process and sustainable ceasefire. The parties also highlighted the progress made in the fight against international terrorism as a result of the functioning of the de-escalation zones and agreed to discuss the proposal to convene the National Dialogue Congress pursuant to the Geneva process under the aegis of the United Nations.