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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 12 sepTember 2017
Russian FM says Saudi Arabia backs Syria truce deals

Saudi leaders support the southern Syria, an area that
Astana process, Russian abuts the Western-backed
Foreign Minister Sergey kingdom.
Lavrov told reporters: “Yes, Jordan has a vital interest
I think Saudi Arabia is de- in pacifying southern Syria.
termined to solve the Syria The Syrian civil war, now in
crisis.” its seventh year, triggered
He said that when the pro- an exodus of refugees, in-
cess began, Saudi leaders cluding hundreds of thou-
expressed support for it and sands Syrians who found
said “they would cooper- refuge in Jordan. Two years
ate in creating de-escala- ago, the fighting forced
tion zones and implement- the closure of Jordan’s last
ing other initiatives which trade crossing with Syria.
are being developed in Safadi said Monday that
Astana.” Jordanian-Russian coop-
Lavrov spoke at a news eration is important, espe-
conference after holding cially in southern Syria.
talks with Jordanian For- Local cease-fires have
eign Minister Ayman Sa- proven to be the most suc-
fadi. Later Monday, Lavrov cessful approach to miti-
held talks with Jordan’s gating multi-sided fighting
King Abdullah II. in Syria, which has killed
In this Jan. 24, 2017 photo, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, welcomes Jordanian Foreign Earlier this summer, Jor- some 400,000 people and
Minister Ayman Al Safadi during their meeting in Moscow, Russia. Lavrov said Monday, Sept. 11, dan was involved in three- displaced half the coun-
2017 that Saudi Arabia assured him it backs a Moscow-led process of negotiating gradual local way talks with Russia and try’s population since 2011,
cease-fires in Syria, including the establishment of “de-escalation zones.” Lavrov spoke after a
meeting Monday with his Jordanian counterpart and a day after talks with Saudi leaders. the U.S. on a cease-fire in he said.q
(AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
By FARES AKRAM bia’s main regional foe,
Associated Press back Syria’s government,
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — while Saudi Arabia sup-
Saudi Arabia has assured ports Syrian rebels. Russia,
Russia that it supports a Iran and Turkey, another
gradual process of negoti- rebel backer, have been
ating local cease-fires and sponsoring talks, known for
setting up “de-escalation their venue, the Kazakh
zones” in Syria, Russia’s for- capital of Astana, on local
eign minister said Monday, cease-fires and de-esca-
a day after meeting with lation zones. A new round
Saudi leaders. starts later this week.
Russia and Iran, Saudi Ara- Asked Monday whether

Ukraine’s president criticizes
Saakashvili’s border crossing

MOSCOW (AP) — Ukraine’s Saakashvili on Monday for
president on Monday crossing the border with-
criticized former governor out proper documents
Mikhail Saakashvili for ille- and said law enforcement
gally crossing into Ukraine agencies should look into
from Poland. the incident. He said Saa-
Saakashvili and a small kashvili should have con-
crowd of supporters on tested the decree stripping
Sunday shoved their way him of citizenship in court if
through a line of guards at he disagreed with it.
the Ukrainian border, mak- “But instead, he commit-
ing good on the politician’s ted a crime — because the
vow to return to the coun- state border must not be
try that had stripped him of violated,” Poroshenko said.
his Ukrainian citizenship. Speaking to reporters in
Saakashvili, who became the western city of Lviv
governor of Ukraine’s Odes- later Monday, Saakashvili
sa region after being Geor- rejected the accusations,
gia’s president from 2004 to saying that stripping him of
2013, poses a strong chal- Ukrainian citizenship “was
lenge to Ukrainian Presi- the crime.”
dent Petro Poroshenko, Saakashvili was appointed
who once was Saakash- to the Odessa post in 2015
vili’s patron but then re- on the strength of his re-
voked his citizenship in July. cord of fighting corruption
Poroshenko condemned in Georgia. q