Pedersen Says Hopes for More Cooperation Between Astana Format, Small Group on Syria

UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2019) United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen told Sputnik that he would like to see more cooperation between the Astana format and the so-called Small Group on Syria.

The Small Group on Syria includes Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Astana includes Russia, Turkey and Iran, as well as Syria's warring sides.

"What I hope we can see is a better cooperation between the Astana format and the Small Group," Pedersen stated.

The UN envoy stressed that the Astana format talks aimed primarily to overcome differences between the parties.

"I hope that we will be able to bridge the differences on the Syrians and bring the Syrian parties together," Pedersen said, when asked about the importance of the Astana format talks amid the established Syrian Constitutional Committee.

Pedersen said he believed that there was a mutual international interest for all states in resolving the conflict in Syria and fighting terrorism.

"There has also been a division within the international community and we should also aim to bridge their differences because I believe that, when it comes to Syria, generally, there is a common international interest. We have an interest in fighting terrorism, we have a common interest in achieving stability in Syria and we have an interest through that. If we want stability, we need to see a political process, build trust and achieve what is a stable Syria," the envoy pointed out.

Pedersen noted that stability and international consensus on Syria could be achieved if participants of the Astana format and the Small Group format decided to continue negotiations.

"On this, I believe there is an international consensus, so if the Astana wants to continue meeting within the Astana format � by all means. If the Small Group wants to continue meeting on the Small Group format � by all means. It is their decision, not my decision," the envoy said.

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that the committee had finally been formed. The agreement to create the Committee was reached during the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in January 2018 in the Russian city of Sochi.

The Astana-format talks on the reconciliation of the Syrian conflicting sides were first held in January 2017. The talks were brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran, the three guarantor states of the ceasefire agreement reached between the Syrian government forces and various armed opposition groups. Since then, multiple rounds of negotiations in Astana, the Kazakh capital, which was subsequently renamed to Nur-Sultan, were held.

The last 13th round of consultations was held in Nur-Sultan in early August.

Earlier in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the next round of the Astana-format consultations would be held in the Kazakh capital in October.