Astana Talks Extended for One Day Amid Opposition Arrival - Kazakh Ministry

The third round of Syria reconciliation talks in Astana is being extended for one day amid Syrian armed opposition arrival, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry's representative told Sputnik on Wednesday.

ASTANA (Sputnik) — The third round of Syria reconciliation talks in Astana is being extended for one day in the anticipation of arrival of Syrian armed opposition representatives to the negotiations, with the talks participants expected to discuss differentiation between terrorists and armed groups, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry's Asia and Africa Department Director General Aidarbek Tumatov told Sputnik on Wednesday.

The delegation of seven representatives of Northern and Southern front opposition is expected to arrive in Astana later in the day.

"Tomorrow, on the 16th, the talks will be continued with a military aspect included, which, I think, is important, given the issues of terrorist groups' location, including that of the IS [Islamic State, outlawed in Russia] and the Jabhat al-Nusra [also outlawed in Russia], and the location of moderate opposition are expected to be discussed," Tumatov said.

The delegation of Syrian armed opposition, comprising seven representatives of the North and South fronts, is expected to arrive to the peace talks in Astana on Wednesday, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Director of the Asia and Africa Department Aidarbek Tumatov told Sputnik.

"After all, the representatives of the [Syrian] opposition are going to arrive in Astana. This evening, seven representatives of the North and South fronts will arrive to hold talks particularly devoted to the military aspect," Tumatov said.

Moreover, the guarantor states of the Syrian ceasefire regime — Russia, Iran and Turkey — are discussing the adoption of a document on the release of the Syrian civil war prisoners at the peace talks in Astana, the progress will depend on the perseverance of the sides, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Director of the Department of Asia and Africa Aidarbek Tumatov told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"This document is currently reviewed by the guarantor states … this issue is on the agenda of the talks between the guarantors," Tumatov said.

The future of the document will depend on the participants of the talks, but the humanitarian aspect is the most important in this process, the official added.

On Tuesday, the third round of talks on Syrian settlement officially kicked off in the Kazakh capital.