OREANDA-NEWS. The situation in Syria is returning to a peaceful course; only certain foci of tension remain on the territory of the republic. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with Russian newspaper.

“The war in Syria has really ended”, the minister emphasized. “The country is gradually returning to a normal, peaceful life”. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Minister noted that in the territories not controlled by the Syrian government, for example, in Idlib and on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, separate foci of tension remain. According to him, in these conditions, the tasks of advancing the political process to resolve the crisis to achieve long-term and reliable stabilization in Syria and the Middle East region as a whole, as well as providing comprehensive humanitarian assistance to Syria come to the fore.

Lavrov noted that the formation and launch of a committee for constitutional reform will be an important step in advancing the political process carried out by the Syrians themselves with the assistance of the UN. The Russian Foreign Minister believes that the opposition can and should make a constructive contribution to the political settlement process in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2254.

Lavrov pointed out that the opposition plays an important role - it participates in international meetings on Syria in the Astana format (its military wing) and inter-Syrian contacts in Geneva, noting that opposition representatives should be members of the constitutional committee. The head of the diplomatic mission emphasized that Russia favors the restoration of a sovereign, territorially integrated Syria, the return of all Syrians to their homeland, and the country itself into an "Arab family", as well as the speedy overcoming of the consequences of rampant terrorism. According to the minister, the peaceful situation in this region will ensure stability in Syria and neighboring countries.