Turkey, Russia to continue close cooperation in Syria

By Ferdi Turkten

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish and Russian presidents on Tuesday agreed to continue close cooperation in Syria as part of Astana Peace Process, said a statement by Turkish Presidency.

Turkey, Russia, and Iran serve as guarantor states in the Astana peace process.

The Astana process has been successful in bringing a cease-fire in Syria and led to the creation of de-escalation zones.

According to the statement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral issues and recent developments in Libya and Syria in a phone call.

Turkey also reiterated its support for Libya's peace and stability, it added.

In early April, Khalifa Haftar, who commands forces loyal to Libya’s eastern government, launched a campaign to capture Libya’s capital Tripoli from the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since long-serving leader Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

Since then, the oil-rich country has seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, to which Haftar is affiliated, and another in Tripoli, which enjoys UN recognition.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz