Monitoring in De-Escalation Zones in Syria Likely to Be Result of Astana Talks

The main result of the fifth international meeting on Syria in Astana is likely to be the announcement on the start of a monitoring operation in the four de-escalation zones in Syria by three guarantor states - Russia, Turkey and Iran, a source at the talks told Sputnik Tuesday.

ASTANA (Sputnik) — The fifth international meeting on Syria in Astana takes place on July 4-5, and brings together the delegations from the three guarantor states — Russia, Iran and Turkey — as well as the Syrian sides and the United Nations teams. Jordan and the United States act as observers.

"As a result of this round of talks, guarantors will announce the beginning of the operation to monitor the de-escalation zones, and define the exact zones they are going to monitor…That is maximum that they can do," the source said.

"The joint working group of the three guarantor states will run the whole operation, so guarantors can also specified in the final agreement some procedures for this group. They are now working on the procedures," the source added.

"Guarantor states would like to have other states involved in the monitoring, but maybe later. Other states are not part of this process. So they will need some kind of a decision from the Security Council in order to send their troops," the source noted.

"So, at this first phase, it will be focused on the three guarantors," the source specified.

The latest meeting on Syria in Astana format was a breakthrough, as the three ceasefire guarantor states signed a memorandum on the establishment of four de-escalation zones in Syria and announced the creation of a joint working group on its implementation.