Russia opposes military actions in northern Syria: Russian FM

"The important part is to prevent some kind of new military action and reach agreements via diplomatic channels."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/08/23 17:31

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (Photo: AFP/MAXIM SHEMETOV).

Syria Lavrov Russia Turkey Damascus Assad Erdogan Cavusoglu

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Russia thinks that Turkish military actions in northern Syria are ‘unacceptable’, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad on Tuesday, Russia's state news agency TASS reported on Tuesday.

"The important part is to prevent some kind of new military action and reach agreements via diplomatic channels based on those political principles that have already existed in relations between Syria and Turkey," Lavrov said

The Russian foreign minister also noted that Syria recognizes the presence of a ‘terrorist threat’ in its north and is ready to be fully responsible for its sovereign territory after regaining complete control over it.

Moreover, Syrian FM Faisal Mekdad, also said that the ”Turkish occupation must end in Syrian territory so that relations return to the state they were in before the start of the war."

Earlier Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey has no preconditions for dialogue with Damascus amidst reports on possible reconciliation between Damascus and Ankara, reported the Turkish Daily Sabah.

"There are no preconditions for dialogue, but what is the purpose of the talks? The country needs to be cleared of terrorists, our border security is important, and Syria's territorial integrity and political integrity are important.”

The Turkish FM also denied Iranian press reports that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian president Bashar Assad at a summit in Uzbekistan in September.

Iran has welcomed steps for possible reconciliation between Damascus and Ankara.

This while Syrian refugees in Turkey, the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition and Syrian Kurds are increasingly worried about the new move by Turkey.

Aaron Stein, an expert for War on the Rocks, told Kurdistan 24 on Monday that he "don’t see a quick pathway to reconciliation" between Damascus and Ankara.

"Ankara owns much of northern Syria. It is one thing to ruminate about a rapprochement, it is another to decide to do it, and then manage a process that will have negative effects on people you have signed up to protect and care for," he concluded.