Moderate Progress on Syria Should Be Further Developed in Geneva - Lavrov

The moderate progress reached in the previous round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva should be further developed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Lavrov told UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, on a visit to Moscow, "We appreciate the opportunity to meet with you a few days after consultations on Syria in Astana and on the eve of another round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva."

"We managed to achieve fragile progress the last time and now it is necessary to consolidate efforts to work on the four baskets of proposals announced earlier, including the constitution," Lavrov said.

De Mistura, on his part, said that some progress had been achieved in the situation on the ground, however, it is necessary to reach progress in political process in Syria. De Mistura added that after visiting Moscow he would travel to Ankara to discuss these issues with Turkish colleagues.

The fourth round of Geneva talks concluded on March 3 with the sides agreeing on a number of separate "baskets" to be addressed later, including on governance, constitution, elections and counterterrorism.

Deputy UN Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy is set to open the new round of Geneva talks on Syrian settlement, set for Thursday. De Mistura said he would arrive in Geneva on Thursday evening.