Egyptian President:

Cairo to Participate in Syria Peace Talks if Necessary

Rasa - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi underlined that his country is prepared to participate in Astana talks on Syria if necessary.

News ID: 426611

Date: 17 January 2017 - 21:06

RNA - "Our position on Syria is clear and has not changed and if our presence in Astana meeting helps settlement of the problems, we will participate in the meeting to end the horrible pains and problems of the Syrian people," el-Sisi said in an interview with the three Arabic-language Egyptian dailies, al-Ahram, al-Gomhouria and al-Akhbar.

Negotiations to reach a resolution to the six-year war in Syria are due to begin in Kazakhstan's capital Astana later this month between the Syrian government and opposition.

Following last month's Syria ceasefire deal, the Astana meeting comes as part of ongoing efforts by Iran, Russia and Turkey to promote a political solution in war-torn Syria.

Meantime, a political adviser to the UN special envoy for Syria said on Monday that the talks on Syrian settlement in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, previously scheduled for January 23, could be postponed.

The Astana talks are expected to be followed by a new round of negotiations on Syrian peace in Geneva on February 8.

"It is hard to say as the negotiation process is going on… I think if the meeting is slightly delayed, it will not be delayed for a long time. But I still have a hope that it will be held," Vitaly Naumkin said.

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