Turkey, Russia Seek Agreement in Northwestern Syria as Government Forces Advance

Source: AA

Russia's military representatives in Syria's Idlib have been in constant contact with their counterparts from Turkey on developments on the ground in the northwestern province, according to Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov.

Lavrov told reporters in Munich, Germany that Moscow would host a fresh round of talks between "interdepartmental delegations" of Russia and Turkey, in the hopes of de-escalating tensions.

While Turkey has been sending large reinforcements, including tanks and heavy artillery, to Idlib, the government forces have been advancing in Idlib and western Aleppo.

Backed by Russia and Iran, the government forces entered towns and villages around Aleppo "for the first time since 2012," according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

"All the facts are on the table. Military representatives of both the Russian Federation and Turkey, who are on the ground in Syria, in the province of Idlib, examine the changes in the situation in constant contact with each other," he said.

He said the two sides' militaries had a full mutual understanding, adding: "I hope they have ideas that will allow us to de-escalate this situation, basing on the agreements that were reached between the presidents of Russia and Turkey."

Meanwhile, Ankara and Moscow continue to cooperate to reach an agreement on a lasting cease-fire for conflicting parties in Idlib, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told Izvestia, a daily newspaper in Russia.

"A lot of work lies ahead, we continue to cooperate actively on these issues with Russia," he said. We must not let the Syrian problem affect our cooperation and our relations. The meeting's outcome will show the necessity of further talks on the problem."

Delegations from the two countries held a meeting today in Moscow today. (VK)