The Turkish Defense Ministry said that the quadrilateral meeting with Russia, Syria and Iran in Moscow discussed concrete steps that can be taken to normalize Ankara-Damascus relations.
A ministry statement commenting on the quadripartite meeting that took place on Tuesday in Moscow between defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of Turkey, Russia, Iran and Syria said that the meeting also dealt with ways to intensify efforts to return Syrian refugees to their lands and ways to combat all terrorist organizations and extremist groups on Syrian territory.
According to the statement, the meeting took place "in a positive atmosphere", and stressed respect for the unity of the Syrian territory, and stressed the importance of the continuation of the quadripartite meetings in order to provide stability in Syria and the region and its continuation.
In Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry said Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed with his Iranian, Turkish and Syrian counterparts in Moscow issues of strengthening security in Syria.
The ministry added that the defense ministers and leaders of the security services of Syria, Russia, Turkey and Iran focused in their talks on fighting all extremist groups in Syria and stressed their keenness to preserve the unity of the Syrian territory, as well as the talks to ensure regional security.
After an 11-year estrangement, the Turkish defense minister and his counterpart in the Syrian regime met in Moscow last December, in the presence and participation of the Russian foreign minister, and agreed to form joint committees of defense and intelligence officials to hold meetings in the Russian capital and later in Ankara and Damascus.
Relations between Ankara and Damascus have been largely strained since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011, which later turned into a bloody armed conflict that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.