Moscow-Sana
The Special Representative of the Russian President for Middle East and African Affairs, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, discussed with the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General to Syria, Geir Pedersen, studying the situation in Syria and the need to strengthen the process of settling the crisis there.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement today, “On the initiative of the United Nations, a telephone conversation took place between Bogdanov and Pedersen, during which they discussed the situation in and essentially around Syria, with a focus on the need to strengthen the comprehensive settlement of the crisis in Syria on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 2254.”
The statement added that the two sides also discussed a set of issues related to preparing for the next meeting of the committee to discuss the constitution in Geneva and the next international meeting on Syria in the Astana format.
In a joint statement, the heads of the guarantor states of the Astana process renewed in a joint statement following a videoconference meeting early last July to affirm their commitment to Syria's sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and integrity, and to continue cooperation until the final elimination of terrorism there, stressing their rejection of any separatist plans that violate Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.