"Establishment of the intra-Syrian dialogue, securing the ceasefire regime, creating de-escalation zones, as it was proposed in the framework of the Astana process, establishing peaceful life – all this will allow transition from confrontation between governmental, pro-governmental forces and armed opposition to cooperation between them, including in a fight against terrorism," Lavrov said during a meeting with head of the Syria’s Tomorrow opposition group Ahmad Jarba.
During the fourth round of the talks on Syrian reconciliation, held in the Kazakh capital of Astana on May 3-4, Iran, Russia and Turkey, the three ceasefire guarantor states, signed a memorandum on the establishment of four de-escalation zones in Syria. The four zones span the northwestern Idlib province and parts of the neighboring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo, the north of the central Homs province, Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, as well as southern Daraa and Quneitra regions. The memorandum came into force on May 6.
The monitoring and management of the safe zones is carried out by military personnel from the guarantor states.
