(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) Foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia, Iran and Syria has agreed
to form a committee, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavushoglu has
said, stressing that a road map will be created together to
normalize relations between Türkiye and Syria., trend reports citing
hurriyet daily news .
“We do not have designs on Syria's soil. We exist there to fight
terrorism. We discussed the safe return of refugees in our country.
A roadmap will be created,” he said in a televised interview on May
11.
The minister said he had a bilateral meeting with his Russian
counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, first and then moved on to the
four-party meeting.
“The Syrian foreign minister was waiting for us downstairs, and
we greeted each other. There was some shyness, but we greeted and
shook hands,” Cavushoglu said, adding that each party expressed
their opinions openly.
Syria's border and territorial integrity were among the featured
topics, Cavushoglu said, stressing that Türkiye launched cross
border operations into Syria“to fight terrorism” and to“avoid the
formation of a terror corridor.”
“We cleared DAESH and PKK from there. Especially the PKK's plan
to divide Syria is obvious; some countries support it,” he
stated.
“As a result, the emphasis on Syria's territorial and border
integrity came to the fore. Of course, there was a political
process, and its revitalization was emphasized. The establishment
of permanent stability by mobilizing the political process was
discussed,” Cavushoglu noted.
The foreign ministers of Türkiye and Syria held their first
official meeting as part of a quadripartite format on May 10 in
Moscow since the start of Syrian civil war in 2011. Cavushoglu and
his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad, were accompanied by Lavrov
and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a four-way
meeting in Moscow.
Participants exchanged views on efforts to normalize relations
between Türkiye and Syria and discussed counterterrorism, the
political processes and humanitarian matters, including the
voluntary, safe and dignified return of Syrians to their homeland,
a Foreign Ministry statement said.
“Participants also reaffirmed their commitment to Syria's
sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the fight against terrorism
in all its forms and manifestations, in accordance with the U.N.
Security Council Resolution 2254 and the official declarations
issued under the 'Astana Format,'” read the statement.
“The participants also decided to instruct the deputyforeign
ministers to prepare a roadmap in coordination with the defense
ministries and intelligence units of the four countries for the
advancement of relations between Türkiye and Syria,” the statement
added.