Sputnik - Kazakhstan called on the United States to participate as an observer in the next round of Astana talks on settlement of the Syrian conflict, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.


ASTANA (Sputnik)�� On Friday, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov held a meeting with�his US counterpart Rex Tillerson in�New York City and discussed a number of�bilateral and international issues.


"As for�the Astana process, the Kazakh side has highly recommended the US representatives to�continue its support of�this track of�intra-Syria settlement related to�the ceasefire regime and actively participate as�an observer [in the Astana format talks]," the statement said.


Moreover, Kazakhstan stresses the necessity to�continue the negotiations on�the settlement of�the Syrian conflict within�the framework of�the Astana format, the country's Foreign Ministry said in�a statement of�Sunday.

On Friday, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov held a meeting with�his UK counterpart Boris Johnson on�the sidelines of�the UN Security Council.
"Abdrakhmanov informed the interlocutor with�the progress of�the Astana process, stressing the need to�continue it. [Abdrakhmanov's] UK counterpart supported the efforts of�Kazakhstan, stressing the interest in�further settlement of�the Syrian crisis," the statement said.


On Wednesday and Thursday, Kazakhstan's capital is expected to�host the fourth round�of talks between�Damascus and the Syrian opposition. The Asian city has already hosted three rounds of�talks brokered by�Russia, Turkey and Iran, held on�January 23-24, February 15-16 and March 14-15. Washington has participated as�an observer in�the previous rounds of�Astana talks.