"A range of issues have been discussed during the conversation in preparation for holding the International meeting on the Syrian settlement in Astana on January 23, aimed primarily at ensuring compliance with and the consolidation of the ceasefire in Syria," the ministry said in a statement.
Ramzy is expected to attend the Astana talks next Monday alongside UN Special Envoy Saffan de Mistura. The negotiations are then expected to be followed by talks in Geneva on February 8.
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.
Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including Daesh, which is banned in a range of countries, including Russia.
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