The 21st International Meeting on Syria, following the Astana format, commenced on Wednesday morning in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
Leading the Syrian Arab Republic’s delegation is Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Bassam Sabbagh. Also participating are delegations from the guarantor states of the Astana process: Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
The Russian delegation is under the leadership of President Putin’s Special Envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev. The Iranian team is led by Ali Asghar Khaji, the Senior Assistant to the Iranian Foreign Minister for Special Political Affairs. Additionally, the United Nations is represented by its Deputy Envoy to Syria, Najat Rushdi.
Spanning two days, the meeting includes not only the delegations of the guarantor states but also observers from neighbouring countries – Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan. Representatives from the United Nations (UN), the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the International Committee of the Red Cross are also participating.
According to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, the meeting’s agenda will focus on the evolving regional dynamics around Syria, efforts towards resolving the crisis, the humanitarian situation in the country, and rallying international support for reconstruction.
Russian political analysts anticipate that the meeting will address recent regional developments, especially considering the ongoing Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip, attacks on Syrian and Lebanese territories, and the continued US occupation of parts of Syrian land, which includes exploiting Syrian resources.
The first day of the meeting is set for bilateral and tripartite discussions among the delegations. The second day will feature a plenary session where the meeting’s final statement will be presented, followed by press conferences by heads of select delegations.
The previous, 20th meeting under the Astana format took place in Astana on June 20-21, 2023. Its concluding statement notably reaffirmed the commitment to respect Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
