Russia, Turkey and Iran failed at peace talks to hammer out details including the boundaries and policing of four safe zones in war-torn Syria, Moscow’s chief negotiator says.
Russian delegation head Alexander Lavrentiev says after the end of the latest two-day negotiations in Kazakhstan that documents outlining how the four zones should work “need finalizing” despite being “essentially agreed” between the three key powerbrokers.
Moscow and Tehran, which back Syrian President Bashar Assad, and rebel supporter Ankara agreed in May to establish four “de-escalation” zones in a potential breakthrough after more than six years of fighting that has claimed more than 320,000 lives.
While fighting dropped off in the weeks after the deal, it has ratcheted up in some areas since, and the international players have yet to finalize the boundaries of the zones or determine who will police them.
“We have not yet managed directly to establish the de-escalation zones,” Lavrentiev says, insisting however that “de facto” safe areas already existed on the ground. He adds that there had been no definitive agreement over the contentious issue of “which specific forces” would police the zones.
— AFP
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