MOSCOW. Dec 29 (Interfax) - The State Duma international affairs committee chairman Leonid Slutsky expressed confidence that the agreements reached on a ceasefire in Syria will have a key impact on the settlement of the situation in the region.
"Agreements on a ceasefire and the beginning of the peace talks are a breakthrough in the Syrian settlement," Slutsky told reporters on Thursday.
He said that a great deal of credit in the achievement of these agreements must to go Russia which acted as a guarantor of the peace process in cooperation with Turkey.
The Russian military and diplomats played a significant role, he said.
"We expect a constructive dialogue which will allow for resolving the Syrian crisis via political and democratic means," Slutsky said.
Leonid Kalashnikov, the chairman of the State Duma committee for CIS affairs, European integration and relations with compatriots, in turn, told Interfax that "this is a result not only of lengthy work, this is a result of our strong protection for Syria and quite consistent behavior on the part of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in relations with the same Americans, which had exerted pressure all the time and failed to implement their agreements."
He said that "combat in Aleppo" made a key contribution to a possibility of a ceasefire.
Kalashnikov said he does not rule out a possibility that the representatives of the new United States presidential administration could also join the coming negotiations on Syria in Astana following the inauguration of Donald Trump.
"I believe there is a chance. Should the new administration get involved in it, will they go for it? Given that they have good relations with Kazakhstan maybe they will do that," he said.
Sergei Zheleznyak, the United Russia's General Council Deputy Secretary and a member of the State Duma international affairs committee, in turn, said that signing the agreement on a ceasefire in Syria between the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition is a major diplomatic military and political victory that has been achieved with the support of Russia which is taking the most active part in the settlement process of the Syrian conflict.
"Russia has again confirmed its leadership in international peacemaking activity," Zheleznyak told reporters.
He said he believes it is of a significant importance that Russia's efforts in the settlement of the situation in Syria are supported by such different countries as Turkey and Iran.
"Moscow's initiative on the introduction of the complete ceasefire in the territory of Syria supported by Ankara and Tehran is a fundamental step on the path of a political settlement in the country and normalization of the situation in the entire Middle East," he said.
Zheleznyak said that the coalition of Russia, Turkey and Iran has already showed its efficiency. "We expect that all sides will observe the universal ceasefire in Syria," he said.
"A transition to a responsible process of negotiations is capable of returning the life in Syria to a civilized direction. It will also create the conditions for a final elimination of the remaining terrorist groups not willing to lay down their weapons," he said.