Russians and Turks have expressed the wish for a "reduction of tensions" in Syria during meetings between senior officials of the two countries in recent days, said the Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday.
"On both sides, the focus has been on reducing tensions on the ground while continuing to fight terrorists recognized as such by the United Nations Security Council," Russian diplomacy said in a statement. Officials from both countries also said they wanted to "protect civilians inside and outside the de-escalation zone (of Idleb, in northwestern Syria) and provide emergency humanitarian assistance to everyone who needs it, "said the same source.
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According to Moscow, meetings took place Wednesday and Friday between the Kremlin emissary for Syria, Alexandre Lavrentiev, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergei Verchinin, representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry on one side and a Turkish delegation the other.
Tensions around the Idleb region, the last stronghold of rebels and jihadists in Syria, have increased sharply with the deaths this week of at least 34 Turkish soldiers in bombings attributed by Ankara to the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who are supported by Moscow. In reprisal, Ankara, sponsor of certain rebel groups, claims to have bombed many of the regime's targets.
Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had a telephone interview during which they expressed their "concern". The two leaders could meet in Moscow next week, according to the Kremlin.
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