Tensions in Syria's north, where Turkey conducts a military operation, should not affect the political process, and Moscow is making effort to promote the first meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Thursday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2019) Tensions in Syria's north, where Turkey conducts a military operation, should not affect the political process, and Moscow is making effort to promote the first meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Thursday.
"We believe that escalation of tensions in Syria's north-east should not prevent the ... political process in compliance with the UN Security Council's Resolution 2254," Zakharova said at a briefing.
"We are making energetic effort, including in cooperation with the Syrian side, with our Astana format partners and UN Special Envoy for Syria [Geir Pedersen] to prepare the convening of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva in late October," Zakharova went on to say, adding that Russia assumed that everything was ready for the committee's inaugural session.
The Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman also reaffirmed Moscow's support for Kurds-Damascus cooperation.
"We are sure that ... stability and security in this area of Syria, in the country and in the region in general can only be achieved through ... sovereignty and territorial integrity. This means that Syria's legitimate government should eventually secure control of all the national territories, including the border with Turkey. In this context, we can only welcome reaching of relevant agreements between Damascus and Kurds," Zakharova added.
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on October 9 with the aim of targeting Kurdish militia, labeled as terrorists by Ankara, and the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia). Damascus deployed its troops to Syria's north on October 13 to repel the offensive, having reached agreement with Kurds.
