Alwaght- The de-escalation zones in Syria are organized as temporary, and nobody is going to use them to balkanize the country, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday.
Speaking after negotiations with the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in Jeddah, Lavrov pointed out that, "The purpose of the de-escalation zones is to stop the violence." He added that, "It is not a permanent measure, and nobody who agree those zones has an intention of keeping them for good, thus in fact having long-term enclaves in the Syrian territory."
"The agreement is their term is six months, and it is clear already the result is evident, the ceasefire is generally observed," Lavrov added. The purpose of the de-escalation zones is "to begin spreading across Syria the space, where ceasefire is observed, where peaceful life is developing."
At the Astana meeting on Syria in May, the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire (Russia, Iran and Turkey) signed a memorandum on setting up de-escalation zones in the war-torn country.
The de-escalation zones include the Idlib Province, some parts of its neighboring areas in the Latakia, Hama and Aleppo Provinces north of the city of Homs, Eastern Ghouta, as well as the Daraa and al-Quneitra Provinces in southern Syria.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Lavrov said Russia support Saudi Arabia’s efforts in organization of the Syrian opposition’s delegation for talks with Damascus.
"We support actively the efforts of the Saudi counterparts in uniting various groups of the opposition - Riyadh, Moscow, Cairo - in organization of the opposition’s team for talks with the government in Geneva," Lavrov said. "A similar work continues in Astana."
