Erdoğan: Turkey Aware of Russia's Strong Assistance to Syrian Regime

Photo and source: AA

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Turkey will try to draw up a roadmap on Syria's Idlib by "negotiating with Russia at the highest level," President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters ahead of an official visit to Azerbaijan.

Turkey is working closely with Russia to resolve issues in both Idlib and Libya, he added.

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Erdoğan, also criticizing Moscow, said Turkey is "aware of Russia's strong assistance to the regime forces in Syria."

On the threats and crises over the Idlib issue, Erdoğan said Turkey must solve the crisis there at once.

"The country most affected by the Syrian crisis is Turkey, due to our 911-kilometer shared border," he said.

Stressing the nearly four million refugees taking shelter in Turkey, Erdoğan added that now there are millions of additional refugees close to Turkey's borders.

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On his phone calls on Syria last Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron, Erdoğan said a new four-way summit may take place in March.

"Despite the lack of an agreement between Macron, Merkel, and Putin about the meeting, in the worst case, President Putin and I might meet on March 5 to discuss the latest developments," he said.

Idlib, near Turkey's southern border, falls within a de-escalation zone laid out in a deal between Turkey and Russia in late 2018. (DB/VK)