Turkish military delegation finalizes talks in Russia

By Yildiz Nevin Gundogmus
ANKARA (AA) - A delegation of Turkey's Ministry of National Defense on Saturday concluded talks with Russian officials over recent developments in Syria.
According to a statement on its website, the ministry said the discussion included recent developments in Syria within the framework of Astana and Sochi agreements and especially the opposition-held northwestern city of Idlib.
In this context, the statement indicated, both Turkish and Russian officials emphasized the importance and maintenance of cooperation in Idlib to ensure peace and stability despite all kinds of provocations.
Furthermore, regarding the situation in Manbij and the eastern Euphrates, it was noted that both sides shared a mutual perspective over eliminating Ankara's security concerns triggered by YPG/PKK and Daesh terror groups.
The statement reiterated the importance of mutual understanding to counter any kind of terrorism in line with respecting the territorial integrity of Syria.
Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.