UN special envoy for Syria to take part in Astana talks - TASS

The United Nations special envoy for Syria, Geir Otto Pedersen, will take part in talks on Syria's future in Astana, Russia's TASS state news agency reported on Tuesday, quoting Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. Deputy foreign ministers from Russia, Syria, Turkey and Iran will meet in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, on Wednesday.

Bogdanov also said that representatives from the observer countries that are Syria's neighbours - Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan - will also participate in the talks.