Sputnik - Press service of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said that Kazakhstan considers the outcome of the fourth round of talks on Syria in Astana, held earlier this week, to be a significant step toward peace in the country.


ASTANA (Sputnik) � Kazakhstan considers the outcome of�the fourth round�of talks on�Syria in�Astana, held earlier this week, to�be a significant step toward�peace in�the country, a press service of�the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said Friday.


"Kazakhstan considers the outcome of�the fourth international meeting on�Syria in�Astana as�another significant step toward�establishing peace in�the country, it calls on�the parties [of the conflict] to�implement all agreements and confirms its readiness to�further continue to�contribute to�international efforts aimed at�searching for�different ways of�political settlement of�the Syrian conflict, in�particular as�a non-permanent member of�the UN Security Council," the statement read.


The ministry pointed out�that signing a pact on�Thursday on�the creation of�so-called de-escalation zones where Syrian government and opposition forces would not be allowed to�engage, became the main outcome of�the negotiations.
"The signed document notes that within�the borders of�the four security zones, which include Idlib province and part of�the provinces of�Latakia, Hama and Aleppo, the area to�the north of�Homs, Eastern Ghouta, as�well as�Deraa and Quneitra provinces in�southern Syria, hostilities between�the warring parties should be ceased, use of�any kind of�weapons, including aircraft would be prohibited, delivery of�humanitarian aid and medicine would be secured, conditions for�the restoration of�basic infrastructure for�the needs of�the population, safe and voluntary return of�refugees would be created," the statement said.


The recent round�of the Astana talks, which brought together the sides to�the Syrian conflict�� Damascus and armed opposition, as�well as�three ceasefire mediator states�� Russia, Iran and Turkey, took place on�Wednesday-Thursday, while a meeting at�the experts level took place on�Tuesday.

The first three rounds of�talks on�the Syrian settlement brokered by�Russia, Turkey and Iran, were held in�Kazakh capital of�Astana on�January 23-24, February 15-16 and March 14-15. During the talks, the participants agreed to�set up�a ceasefire monitoring group, among�other points.