Moscow hails Damascus’s intention to conduct a dialogue with Syria’s Kurdish population over self-government issues, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on Thursday, September 28, TASS reports.

Moscow, she said, has taken note of Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem’s statement to the effect Damascus "is prepared to discuss self-government affairs with Syrian Kurds after the eventual victory over the terrorist group calling itself the Islamic State" (outlawed in Russia).

"We welcome and support the Syrian government in its efforts for achieving national reconciliation and creating comfortable conditions for the existence of representatives of different ethnic and religious segments of society within one Syria," Zakharova added.

Kurds in Iraq held a referendum for independence from Baghdad on Monday, with the majority voting for an independent Kurdish state.