MOSCOW. Jan 20 (Interfax) - The upcoming talks on Syria planned in Astana can be considered successful if the Geneva format of negotiations on the Syrian settlement are resumed, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said.
"What is important here is the dialogue being resumed. You know that a certain pause has happened in the Geneva process, which is eventually the main negotiating format. If [the] Astana [meeting] help speed up resumption of the negotiating format, this will be a positive development," Peskov said regarding the upcoming talks in Astana.
"Any kind of dialogue between parties interested in the Syrian settlement and their presence in one place at the same time is positive already," Peskov said.
When asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to exchange views with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the course of the negotiations, Peskov said: "Coordination between the Russian side and the Turkish side takes place at various levels on a permanent basis."
It was reported earlier that the Astana meeting is expected to open on January 23.