Moscow remains fully committed to the agreements between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Syria's Idlib reached in Sochi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th February, 2020) Moscow remains fully committed to the agreements between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Syria's Idlib reached in Sochi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.
"We reaffirm our full commitment to the agreements that have been reached between Russian and Turkish presidents regarding what needs to be done in the Idlib de-escalation zone: to separate normal opposition from terrorists, to demilitarize the inner belt in this zone so that no one can shell Syrian army positions and Russian military base from there, to ensure unhindered passage on highways in this zone," Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his Luxembourgian counterpart, Jean Asselborn, in Moscow.
According to the Russian minister, these remain Russia's common goals with Turkey, but efforts must be taken to achieve these goals.
There is every opportunity for a dialogue between Moscow and Ankara on Idlib, Lavrov said.
Moscow extends condolences to Ankara in connection with deaths of Turkish troops in Syria, the minister said.
"We express our condolences and, I repeat once again, do everything to ensure security of the Turkish military personnel who provide the de-escalation regime in the Idlib zone. And our military is ready to continue this work there," he said.
The Syrian army has every right to fight terrorists in Idlib, Moscow cannot prevent it, Lavrov said.
"In response to the constant ceasefire violations from within the Idlib zone, the Syrian army has every right to respond and suppress terrorists. We cannot forbid the Syrian army to comply with the requirements set out in UN Security Council resolutions on the merciless, uncompromising fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said.
