The participation of Lebanon and Iraq in the Astana process on Syria will make it possible to resolve a number of pressing issues, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

The 13th international high-level meeting on Syria takes place in the Kazakhstan’s capital of Nur-Sultan (former Astana) on August 1-2. Lebanese and Iraqi observers have for the first time joined the Astana talks.

“We believe that it will improve the engagement of Syria’s neighboring countries, making it possible to discuss… the return of Syrian refugees, the restoration of trade and economic ties and relations between Damascus and its Arab partners in more detail,” Zakharova said.

The meeting in Nur-Sultan involves representatives of the guarantor countries (Russia, Iran and Turkey), the Syrian government and the armed opposition. Officials from the UN and Jordan are present as observers.