Russia, Iran, Turkey agree lists for Congress in Sochi - president’s representative

Russia, Iran, Turkey agree lists for Congress in Sochi - president’s representative
# 20 January 2018 18:11 (UTC +04:00)

Russia, Iran and Turkey have agreed lists of participants in the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, the final formalities may take a couple more days, the Russian president’s Special Representative for the Syrian settlement Alexander Lavrentyev said on Saturday after consultations with Iran and Turkey, APA reports quoting TASS.

"The key question we have discussed is the Syrian National Dialogue Congress," he said. "My opinion is the meeting was successful. We shall face work to finalize everything, which may take a day or two maximum.".

Moscow is interested in the UN Special Envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura’s participation in the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, the Russian president’s Special Representative for the Syrian settlement said.

"We have been working on it (participation in the Congress of regional observes and the UN - TASS)," he said. "We want the UN representation at the forum is at the highest possible level, and we hope the secretary general will send over to Sochi Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura, who could participate in the event’s opening.".

The situation on the ground in Sochi should not affect the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, due to be convened in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Alexander Lavrentyev said.

"The situation on the ground, on the battlefield in some Syrian regions remains rather tense," Lavrentyev said. "However, on the whole, it should on no account have any impact on results of the Congress.".

The U.S. military must not remain in Syria without consent from Damascus, the Russian president’s Special Representative for the Syrian settlement said on Saturday after consultations with Iran and Turkey.

"It is complicated to comment on those statements (of the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and of the Pentagon’s representatives about plans for presence in Syria - TASS), this is on what Tillerson should comment," the presidential representative said. "Our position is absolutely clear: the U.S. military must not remain in territory of an independent sovereign country without a permission from that country’s leaders. Thus, I do not think it may affect the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, especially since we expect participation of the U.S. as the UN’s permanent member as an observer in the forum in Sochi."

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