ASTANA: Russia, Turkey and Iran failed on Wednesday to iron out the details of four safe zones in war-torn Syria after two days of peace talks in Kazakhstan.
Moscow and Tehran and Ankara agreed in May to establish four “de-escalation” zones in a potential breakthrough after more than six years of fighting that has claimed more than 320,000 lives.
While fighting dropped off in the weeks after the deal, it has since returned in several areas, and the international players have yet to agree the exact boundaries of the zones or determine who will police them.
Chief Russian negotiator Alexander Lavrentiev said seven documents outlining how the zones should work “need finalising” despite being “essentially agreed” between the three key powerbrokers in Astana.
“We have not yet managed directly to establish the de-escalation zones,” Lavrentiev said, insisting however that “de-facto” safe zones already exist on the ground.
Lavrentiev said that the borders of two zones — covering rebel-held parts of Homs province and Eastern Ghouta near Damascus — have been agreed in principle. Lavrentiev said that it had been agreed that Russian military police carrying light weapons would be involved in patrolling buffer areas around some of the zones.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
