Upcoming ISSG talks to discuss ceasefire, humanitarian aid in Syria: Russian FM
MOSCOW, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The International Syria Support Group (ISSG) meeting, scheduled for Thursday in Munich, Germany, would focus on ceasefire and humanitarian aid delivery in the war-torn country, Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
The Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had a telephone conversation with his U.S counterpart John Kerry on the upcoming ISSG meeting.
"The parties agreed on the need to ensure speedy ceasefire and humanitarian access to all blocked settlements, and discussed the possibility of harmonizing the relevant arrangements in the context of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254," said an online statement.
Lavrov and Kerry reiterated their opposition to any preconditions and ultimatums, based on requirements of the resolution.
ISSG brings together world and regional powers, such as Britain, France, the United States, Russia, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the main task of the upcoming ISSG meeting is to ensure "a consistent beginning and stable progress of a comprehensive negotiation process."
Earlier this month, UN-mediated negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition groups in Syria in Geneva, Switzerland, have been suspended to Feb. 25.
Zakharova said Russia would insist at the ISSG meeting on participation of Syrian Kurds in the intra-Syrian negotiations.
"We are convinced that the Syrian (Kurdish) Democratic Union Party (PYD), which controls more than 15 percent of the Syrian territory and efficiently opposes Islamic State (terrorist group), should not be left outside the Geneva process and deprived of the right to decide the future of its country," Zakharova said.
Turkey has lately threatened to boycott the Syrian peace talks in Geneva if the PYD was invited. Ankara considered the party and its military wing, the People's Defense Units (YPG), to be offshoots of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Zakharova also welcomed the U.S. support for the PYD, which was "an appropriate choice."
Washington realized that "progress is only possible with the availability of the full array of relevant factors," Zakharova said.
On Monday, U.S. State Department Spokesman John Kirby said that his country does not recognize the PYD as a terrorist organization.
The Russian spokeswoman also refuted allegations that Russian airstrikes in Syria undermined the Geneva talks, urging all relevant sides to cooperate more "closely and comprehensively."
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-02/11/c_135089084.htm
