Russian, Iranian, Turkish ministers to meet in Astana

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian, Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers will discuss Syria during their meeting in Kazakh capital Astana in March, according to Russian deputy foreign minister Mihail Bogdanov Monday.

The exact date in March has not been agreed yet.

Among possible topics on the agenda, Bogdanov named the prolongation of safe zones in Syria.

About possible Turkish military operation in Idlib, Bogdanov said it is above all a subject for discussion between servicemen.

Idlib falls within a network of de-escalation zones endorsed by Turkey, Russia and Iran in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

Controlled largely by armed anti-regime groups, Idlib has remained the target of intense airstrikes for the last two months. In January alone, 211 civilians were killed and another 1,447 injured.

Syria remains locked in a devastating conflict that began in 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with disproportionate force and unexpected ferocity.