Syrian Ceasefire Improves Humanitarian Situation in Country

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Syrian ceasefire regime has created conditions for improving the humanitarian situation in the country and efforts in the political settlement of the crisis, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad discussed the preparations for the Astana peace talks on Syrian settlement.

"During the discussion, an exchange of opinions concerning the situation in Syria took place. Speakers expressed satisfaction with the fact that the Syrian ceasefire regime creates conditions for improving humanitarian situation in country and efforts on political settlement of the crisis under the UN security council resolution 2254", the statement said.

"The preparation for the international meeting on Syrian crisis resolution in Astana scheduled for January 23 has been also discussed," the statement added.

On December 17, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed in a phone call the possibility of a meeting between the Syrian conflicting parties in Astana. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev supported the initiative and expressed readiness to provide a platform for such talks in the Kazakh capital.

A nationwide ceasefire between the Syrian government and opposition brokered by Russia and Turkey took effect at midnight local time on December 30.

Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh), which is banned in a range of countries, including Russia.