Moscow said it views the start of dialogue between the Syrian government and the foreign-backed opposition in Geneva as important step towards a comprehensive political settlement for the deadly crisis.

Moscow said it views the start of dialogue between the Syrian government and the foreign-backed opposition in Geneva as important step towards a comprehensive political settlement for the deadly crisis.

In a statement, the Russian foreign ministry commented the conclusion of the first round of talks of Geneva 2 conference, saying that what's important is that the two sides managed to meet on the negotiation table and begin discussing practical issues.

“This will allow both sides to develop trust and move on to issues accepted by the two sides,” the ministry said on Friday.

The Ministry lauded what it described as the constructive mediation of UN Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, stressing the need for foreign players to play a vital role in reaching a settlement and encouraging the opposition as well as the government to find middle ground solutions for existing issues.

The statement also called for expanding the opposition delegation.

The Ministry said that the most important element for ensuring the success of the second round of talks on February 10th will be both sides taking the other's concerns into consideration.