Sputnik - Astana platform of the Syrian opposition intends to create a group to support the creation of safe zones in Syria.


GENEVA (Sputnik)�� Astana platform of�the Syrian opposition is going to�create a group with�local political forces in�northern Syria to�reinforce and support the memorandum on�safe zones agreed on�in Kazakhstan, platform's leader Randa Kassis told Sputnik Monday after�her meeting with�Russia's envoy to�the UN Office at�Geneva (UNOG) Alexei Borodavkin.


"In the end of�June, I am going to�create a group to�reinforce Astana memorandum on�de-escalation zones. I will create this group with�some parties that operate in�the Northern Syria, Western Aleppo and Idlib. They work there and they provide services there, working with�local communities. That's really good, we can reinforce the memorandum together," Kassis said.

The platform's leader stated she would create this group instead of�an anti-terrorism group, which she planned to�create earlier.

"It will focus solely on�Astana process and the memorandum. Borodavkin supports my idea and my work," Kassis noted.

At the latest Astana meeting on�Syria on�May 3-4, three ceasefire guarantor states�� Russia, Turkey and Iran�� finalized and signed a memorandum on�establishment of�four safe zones in�Syria. The four zones span the northwestern Idlib province and parts of�the neighboring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo, the north of�the central Homs province, Eastern Ghouta near�Damascus, as�well as�southern Daraa and Quneitra regions. The memorandum came into�force on�May 6.

Syrian settlement talks take place on�two parallel platforms: the UN-mediated Geneva talks, and the Astana talks, brokered by�Russia, Turkey and Iran. The three aforementioned states are the guarantors of�a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime that came into�force on�December 30, 2016. The previous round�of the Geneva talks took place on�March 23�� March 31 and the fourth round�of Astana talks was held on�May 3�� May 4.