The 20th round of Syria talks began today in the Kazakh capital Astana. All previous talks in the Astana format have failed to find a solution to the Syria crisis. Participants in the two-day summit are Turkey, Russia and Iran, who are considered the main actors in Syria, as well as representatives of the Syrian government and the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen. Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq are participating as observers.

The two-day talks will discuss changes in the regional situation in Syria and developments on the ground. Creating conditions for the return of Syrian refugees is also on the agenda.

One of the main topics of the summit is to be the normalisation of relations between Damascus and Ankara. Turkey has intensified attacks on the autonomous region of northern and eastern Syria in the run-up to this meeting. According to observers, the Turkish state is seeking a new deal with Russia to occupy more territory in Syria. It is assumed that these attacks are being carried out with the consent of all the actors involved and that the aim is to put pressure on the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and force it to make concessions to the government in Damascus.

A consultation meeting between the deputy foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia, Iran and Syria is to discuss a "roadmap for the normalisation of Syrian-Turkish relations" on Wednesday, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov after a first meeting with the delegations: "We are now interested in the normalisation of relations between Damascus and Ankara. This is a very important process. Many problems have piled up over the last twelve years. On 10 May, the foreign ministers met in Moscow. Now we are working on a roadmap for this process."

The Astana summit comes after Syria was admitted to the Arab League, breaking Damascus' isolation in the Arab world since the war began. Iran has begun a process of rapprochement with its regional rival Saudi Arabia. Both countries announced the mutual opening of their embassies.

The head of the Syrian delegation in Astana reiterated that normalisation of relations between Syria and Turkey is only possible if Turkey withdraws its troops from Syria. The state news agency SANA quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Sousan, who heads the Syrian delegation, as saying that Turkey's withdrawal from Syrian territories is the only starting point for normal relations between the two countries. Sousan also stressed that "ensuring border security is a shared responsibility of neighbouring countries".

The Turkish state occupies a large area along the border in northern Syria. A terror regime has been established in these occupied territories. Even if the Astana summit is more likely to be a technical meeting at which the various actors want to coordinate their positions in the Syria conflict, the meeting of the four states is a success, especially for Russia. For Moscow has not only succeeded in keeping the West out of the negotiations on Syria's future, but also in bringing Turkish and Syrian state representatives back to the table.