Sputnik- The joint work by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran has helped considerably improve the situation in Syria, Russia's deputy foreign minister said.





MOSCOW (Sputnik) � The situation on�the ground in�Syria has improved significantly, Russia, Iran and Turkey managed to�jointly consolidate the ceasefire, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Friday.
"We do not set the Astana process against�the Geneva talks, and specifically Geneva-4 which was launched after�all. I think, and everyone accepts this, we managed with�our colleagues from�Turkey and Iran to�hold a number of�events which allowed to�consolidate the ceasefire regime. So the situation on�the ground improved significantly," he told reporters.


The Astana talks on�Syrian crisis settlement brought together the representatives of�the Syrian government and the armed opposition groups for�the first time in�the six years of�the Syrian war. As a result of�the talks, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to�establish a trilateral mechanism to�monitor the ceasefire that came into�effect on�December 30, 2016.

Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in�a civil war, with�government forces fighting against�numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, banned in�a range of�countries, including Russia.
"The Russian side is calling for�a discussion on�all topics related to�the Syrian constitution as�a priority. This would be correct from�the point of�view of�providing the participants of�the Geneva process with�an opportunity to�talk on�the issues that interest them. We understand that the priorities do not coincide, but�in our opinion the discussion on�the issue of�the constitution should and must become a unifying basis," Ryabkov told reporters.


He added that Russia called for�an inclusive dialogue at�the Geneva negotiations of�all groups that were ready to�take part in�the peace settlement in�the country.
"Unfortunately, there are some forces that would prefer to�limit this dialogue to�the change of�legitimate authorities in�Damascus which is unacceptable for�us and for�many others," the deputy minister concluded.


The draft constitution was presented to�the parties of�the Syrian conflict during�the negotiation in�Astana that took place on�January 23�� 24. Head of�the Russian delegation Alexander Lavrentyev stressed that Russia was not interfering in�consideration of�constitution and presented the draft to�the opposition simply in�order to�accelerate the process.


Moscow has been conducting a counter-terrorist campaign in�Syria since�September 30, 2015, at�President Bashar Assad's request.

The fourth round�of the intra-Syrian talks between�the government and opposition factions under�the auspices of�the United Nations began in�Geneva on�February 23.