Astana Pulls Out as Host of Syria Peace Talks
The Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan, which since 2017 has hosted talks between Syria, Russia, Turkey, and Iran aimed at resolving the 12-year-old Syrian war, unexpectedly announced Wednesday that it would not host any further talks in the future.
The announcement surprised the participants as they wrapped up their 20th round of talks in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said the talks had fulfilled their mission and that “the initial goals, including the creation of de-escalation zones, ending the bloodshed, and reducing the number of casualties have been fully implemented.”
A ministry spokesman, Aibek Smadiyarov, said that Syria’s return to the Arab League in May and its recent efforts to restore ties with Turkey were proof that the talks had achieved their purpose.
Alexander Lavrentyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy to Syria and the head of the Russian delegation at the talks, said Kazakhstan’s decision was a complete surprise.
Lavrentyev said that more talks were scheduled for later this year and no decision had yet been made about a new venue, but they could be held in the capitals of any of the four participating countries.
Representatives of Turkey, Russia, and Iran described the latest talks in Astana as “constructive” and said they discussed “preparing the roadmap for the restoration of relations between Turkey and Syria.”
While Russia and Iran have backed Assad in the war and helped his forces reclaim control over most of the country, Turkey has had troops in northwestern Syria backing the opposition fighters in the last rebel-held enclave. On Tuesday, Syria’s Assistant Foreign Minister Ayman Sousan said Turkey should come up with a “clear timeline” for the withdrawal of its forces from Syria.
Last month, after Syria was readmitted to the Arab League, Turkey’s and Syria’s foreign ministers agreed to set up a “roadmap” to improve strained ties, marking the highest-level contact between the two countries since the war began in 2011.
The war has killed nearly 500,000 people and displaced half of Syria’s population.
