Lavrov, Cavusoglu Stress Importance of Direct Damascus-Opposition Talks

The Russian foreign minister and his Turkish counterpart stressed the importance of direct contacts between Damascus and the armed opposition in Syria.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in a telephone conversation highlighted the importance of direct contacts between Damascus and the armed opposition in Syria to strengthen the truce and agreed to continue work with the participants of the Astana meeting to prepare for the upcoming talks in Geneva, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

"The ministers discussed the course of the international meeting on Syrian settlement in Astana. Both sides stressed the importance of establishing direct contacts between the Syrian government and representatives of the armed opposition to strengthen the regime of cessation of hostilities, start intra-Syrian dialogue as the only way to achieve peace in the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry's statement said.

Lavrov and Cavusoglu also agreed to continue work with the participants of the Syria talks in Astana on resuming negotiations in Geneva.