Russia expects US to join Syria talks in Astana

By Hakan Ceyhan Aydogan

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia expects the new U.S. administration to attend Syria peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday.

"We hope that the new administration [of President-elect Donald Trump] will be represented in Astana," Lavrov said at an annual news conference in Moscow.

The Russian minister said it would be a "right" decision to invite representatives from the new U.S. administration.

"This would be the first official contact with the Trump administration," said Lavrov.

Negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition negotiators to reach a political solution to the six-year war in Syria are due to begin on Jan. 23.

Lavrov said the aim of Astana talks was to reinforce the cease-fire and to ensure the participation of opposition field commanders in the political process.

Lavrov said he hoped the cooperation with Trump administration on Syria would be "much more effective" than that with out-going President Barack Obama administration.

Following last month's Syria cease-fire deal, brokered by Turkey and Russia, the Astana meeting comes as part of ongoing efforts by the two countries to promote a political solution in war-torn Syria.

* Diyar Guldogan contributed to this story from Ankara