MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and radical Islamists. The conflict has inflicted damage to the country's economy and precipitated a humanitarian disaster.
"For Russia, of course, it is important that Syria remains a united state," Peskov told reporters.
The Kremlin spokesman also noted that it is up to the Syrian people to make a decision on the country’s state structure and plans of Syrian Kurds on the federalization of their territories.
"It is the Syrians themselves who must choose power structure of their country. The process should involve all confessional and ethnic groups living on the territory of Syria, whether it is Kurds or Shiites or Sunnis, Alawites, Druze and so forth," Peskov stressed.
"And they all themselves must take part in the preparation of a new draft constitution of the country," the spokesman said.
Last month, Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria, which took effect on February 27. The truce excluded the terrorist groups Daesh and the Nusra Front, both of which are outlawed in Russia.
Both Washington and Moscow have been actively engaged in anti-terrorist military operations in Syria. Russia had conducted an aerial campaign against Daesh since September 30 at Syria's President Bashar Assad's request.
On March 14, Putin ordered the withdrawal of the main contingent of Russian forces from Syria, stating that they had accomplished their anti-terrorism mission.
