The ISSG meeting on February 12 resulted in a final communique calling for swift humanitarian access to all besieged areas in Syria, and set a one-week deadline for measures to be implemented toward the "cessation of hostilities" in the country.
"In continuation of the talks held during the recent visit of the Emir of Qatar to Moscow, the leaders discussed the current issues on the situation in Syria. It has been agreed, in particular, to intensify bilateral contacts at various levels to facilitate the settlement of the crisis," the statement reads.
On January 18, the Qatari emir and the Russian leader met in Moscow where they discussed the Syrian crisis and development of the bilateral cooperation.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, they also coordinated specific steps to maximize the effectiveness of the fight against global terrorism. Thani’s visit came a month after Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Mohammed Attiyah met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow to discuss a set of bilateral and international issues.