Syria's People returning to peaceful life

The presence of Syrian delegates at the sixth World Congress of Compatriots in Moscow signals that peace will soon come to the Arab Republic, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the opening of the forum on Wednesday.

"Your participation in the Congress signals that peaceful life is returning to Syria," Lavrov told the delegation from Syria. "Russia will continue making its contribution to settling the Syrian crisis in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, the decisions made in the Astana format and the results of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi."

Lavrov noted that despite the war, the compatriots from Syria were able to maintain ties with Russia. "We will continue providing broad support for your noble efforts on promoting the Russian language and disseminating objective information about our country among the entire Syrian society," Russia’s top diplomat said.

The sixth World Congress of Compatriots is held in Moscow on October 31-November 1. Some 400 delegates from 98 countries are taking part in the forum. Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to address the plenary session.