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1st LD: Russia, Turkey, Iran call for political settlement of Syrian crisis

Xinhua, January 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

Russia, Turkey and Iran called for a political settlement of the current crisis in Syria in a joint statement issued here Tuesday, saying they will establish a trilateral mechanism to safeguard the full ceasefire in the Middle East nation.

According to Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry, the statement was announced after the three countries' meeting on the Syria issue.

They stand for separating the Syrian opposition groups from terrorists, said the statement, noting that there is no military solution to the Syrian conflict.

Moscow, Tehran and Ankara "support the willingness of the armed opposition groups to participate in the next round of negotiations" led by the United Nations (UN) to secure the full implementation of the truce.

They also reiterated their commitment to securing the independence and territorial integrity of Syria.

Russia and Turkey brokered a nationwide truce between government forces and the main opposition groups from Dec. 30 and they also serve, together with Iran, as guarantors for the two-day Astana peace talks that kicked off Monday.

The nearly six-year civil war in Syria has killed more than 300,000 people and displaced nearly 11 million others. Endi