MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Syrian conflict has been discussed at parallel talks in the Swiss city of Geneva and the Kazakh capital of Astana.
The fifth round of the UN-mediated Geneva negotiations on Syrian reconciliation concluded on March 31 without a breakthrough.
Astana provides a separate platform for Syrian peace talks, with three rounds of negotiations since the beginning of the year.
"I am glad to welcome you in Moscow. In this difficult time in international relations, it is important for us not to lose dynamics in contacts for discussing bilateral agreements and, of course, our cooperation on international affairs, primarily in the Middle East and North Africa region… Of course, we are interested in comparing our assessments of efforts on settling the Syrian crisis — efforts, in which Qatar plays a significant role," Lavrov said.
The minister also said that the meeting was a good opportunity to check the progress of the implementation of the reached agreements.
"Our leaders met last January, then in August 2016 in Sochi. And today we have a good opportunity to see how the agreements, reached during these meeting, are being implemented," Lavrov said.
Lavrov added that Russia and Qatar agree that it is necessary to reach political settlement as well as full ceasefire in Syria as soon as possible.
“Our common position implies the need to ensure a full comprehensive ceasefire between the government and armed opposition, continuation of anti-terror fight against the Islamic State [Daesh] and the Nusra Front [terror groups outlawed in Russia] as well as acceleration of search for political settlement of this crisis,” Lavrov said.
He pointed out that Russia was supporting only peaceful solutions to all conflicts in Middle East including the Syrian one.
Russia is cooperating with Qatar on the number of issues including fighting against terrorism, settlement of the Syrian conflict as well as stabilizing oil prices.
Lavrov also stated that Russia appreciates the efforts, which Qatar makes to normalize the humanitarian situation in Syria and Libya and to settle the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
"We also appreciate the efforts, which our Qatari friends make to normalize situation in Libya, to solve humanitarian problems in Syria and to facilitate restoration of Palestinian unity. That is a very important condition for settlement of Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
Al-Thani said in this context that Qatar wanted to make Russian-Qatari positions on such issues as situation in Yemen, Libya and Palestine closer.
Qatar is engaged in the solution of Israeli-Palestenian conflict, largely supporting Palestinians in this issue. According to Qatar Fund for Development (QFD), Doha has provided $812 million to support Palestinian people since 2012.
The country is also providing humanitarian aid to such war-torn countries as Syria and Libya. At the conference Supporting Syria and the Region, which took place in London in February 2016, Qatar pledged to provide $100 million to aid Syrian people.
