Russia, Turkey to Discuss Situation in Syria's Idlib

TEHRAN (defapress) – A Turkish delegation will travel to Russia on Monday to discuss the situation in Syria's Idlib province, Turkey's foreign minister said.

News ID: 80233

Date: 16 February 2020 - 11:52

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a Turkish delegation was due to visit Moscow on Monday to talk discuss the situation in Idlib, AP reported.

The meeting follows previous visits by a Russian delegation to Ankara. Russia supports the Syrian government and military, while Turkey backs militants.

The Russian foreign minister told the Munich conference that parts of Idlib remain “one of the last hotbeds of terrorism, at least the only one on the west bank of the Euphrates.”

Lavrov said that agreements between Moscow and Ankara “imply both a cease-fire and a demilitarized zone, but most importantly drawing a line between the normal opposition and terrorists.”

"These agreements do not mean the hard fighting against the terrorist the threat will stop,” he said.

Idlib and the area north of Aleppo form part of the only large territory still in the hands of militants. The Syrian military has managed to undo militant gains across the country and bring back almost all of the Syrian soil under government control.

Message end/