Russia, Turkey and Iran agree to plan for Syria ‘congress’

Russia, Turkey and Iran pledged in Kazakhstan to bring the Syrian regime and its opponents together for a “congress” to help nudge peace efforts towards a more lasting political settlement.

A joint statement released by Russia and Iran, who support the regime, and Turkey, which backs the rebels, referrs to an “initiative of Russia” to hold a congress to bring Syrian government representatives and opposition groups together.

A statement on the Russian foreign ministry website lists 33 Syrian organisations invited to a “Congress of Syrian National Dialogue” in the Russian city of Sochi on November 18.

The congress proposal was one of the few notable outcomes from the seventh round of talks on Syria held in the Kazakh capital Astana and widely viewed as Moscow’s attempt to stamp its own imprint on a settlement for Syria.

— AFP