Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Ayman Al-Safadi of Jordan discussed strengthening the ceasefire in Syria in the context of agreements reached in Astana on May 4, the Russian foreign ministry said on Friday after their telephone talks.
“The two top diplomats discussed prospects for cooperation in regional affairs with a focus on the Syrian settlement in the context of efforts towards strengthening and expanding the ceasefire in Syria following the memorandum on de-escalation zones, including near the border with Jordan, signed in Astana on May 4 and supported by the Syrian government,” the ministry said.
On May 4, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to set up four de-escalation zones in Syria. Under a memorandum signed at the talks in Astana, the four zones are Idlib province and some parts of neighboring provinces (Aleppo, Latakia and Hama), an area north of Homs, Damascus’s suburb Eastern Ghouta, and a number of provinces in southern Syria – Daraa and Al-Quneitra.