Russia, Qatar hope talks between Syrian government and opposition will begin in January - Russian top diplomat

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani have reiterated their commitment to the Vienna agreements on Syria that envisage the necessity to ensure conditions for the Syrian people to decide on the future of their country by themselves, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday after the talks between the Russian and Qatari leaders. "At the level of the heads of state, we have reiterated commitment to the agreements reached in the Vienna group and endorsed in a United Nations Security Council resolution. Under these agreements, all conditions are to be ensured to make it possible for the Syrian people to freely determine its future," he told journalists. "Both Qatar and Russia hope that in conformity with the existing agreements and in line with the U.N. Security Council resolution, talks between the Syrian government and the opposition will start in the nearest future, this month," he said, adding that the two leaders had paid special attention to the Syrian settlement. Among other international issues discussed by Putin and Al Thani, according to Lavrov, was the situation in Yemen, Libya and other Middle East countries. "The two leaders reiterated their commitment to boost the efficiency of anti-terror actions as part of international efforts," Lavrov said, adding that the sides had agreed concrete steps in that direction. "Both Russia and Qatar will aspire to ensure maximum efficiency of anti-terrorist efforts," the Russian minister said. According to Lavrov, Putin and Al Thani agreed a close eye should be kept on the Palestinian problem and efforts were needed to resume direct talks between Palestine and Israel on the basis of international law with an aim of creating the Palestinian state. Read more