The foreign ministers of the countries participating in the Astana format for the settlement of the Syrian conflict (Russia, Iran, Turkey) will hold a meeting on December 7 in Qatar, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS.
"The meeting is scheduled for tomorrow; it will take place on the sidelines of the conference [22nd Doha Forum] in Qatar. The event will be attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov," the diplomat said.
Syria has been in conflict since 2011. The Astana talks, also known as the Astana format, have been ongoing since 2017.
It includes Russia, Iran, and Turkey as guarantor countries in the process of resolving the Syrian crisis, alongside representatives of the Syrian government and opposition, the United Nations, and observer countries: Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.
On November 27, units of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (outlawed in Russia) launched a massive attack in northern Syria. The Syrian army command reported that the terrorists targeted villages and towns defended by government forces, as well as military facilities. Syrian government forces launched an operation to repel the attack.
The Doha Forum international conference will be held in Qatar's capital on December 7-8. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian and Turkish counterparts Abbas Araghchi and Hakan Fidan will take part in the event. The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, will speak at the conference opening. The forum participants will discuss a wide range of issues related to international security, energy transition, and sustainable economic development. Igor Sechin, CEO of Russia's oil major Rosneft, will also attend the forum from the Russian side.
