Russia Praised by Parties to Geneva Talks on Syria for Role in Resolving Crisis

Representatives from the Syrian opposition and government delegations to the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva highly appreciated Russia's hand in helping resolve the Syrian crisis, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov held consultations on the sidelines of the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, the Syrian government delegation, headed by Bashar Jaafari, and representatives from the Syrian opposition, including the Moscow and Cairo platforms, and the Movement for a Pluralistic Society.

"The interlocutors expressed their appreciation for the role of Russia in search of a solution to the Syrian crisis, expressed readiness to maintain regular contacts with Russian representatives in various formats," the ministry's statement read.

It added that all parties exchanged their views on the course and prospects of the intra-Syrian talks under the auspices of the United Nations. The Russian side reaffirmed the importance of the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, and stressed the necessity define the future structure of the Syrian state.

The UN-backed talks on Syrian peace have been held in Geneva since 2012 with the fifth round having started on March 23. The talks are expected to last until Friday.