Moscow voices high expectations for Syria peace talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday expressed high expectations for the UN-brokered Syria peace talks, calling on all parties involved to do enough "homework" for the second round of negotiations.

Lauding the recent round of Syrian peace talks in Geneva, Lavrov emphasized the need to ensure the inclusiveness of the negotiations which should be focused on promoting direct dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition forces.

The top Russian diplomat, who met here with visiting United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, called on the United States and a number of European countries to take unified actions in the political process.

Meanwhile, Mistura called for more effective efforts of international mediators to ensure the cease-fire and facilitate humanitarian progress in Syria.

Also Tuesday, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should be determined by the Syrian people and that negotiators should create conditions for them to make the decision.

A cessation of hostilities plan under the auspices of the United States and Russia went into effect late February in all Syrian cities. The truce has so far been largely adhered to despite sporadic violations.

The latest round of Syrian peace talks, which started on March 14, was wrapped up in Geneva with a 12-point paper delivered to both sides for further consideration. The next round of negotiations is expected to kick off on April 11 in the Swiss city. Endit