Russian-Turkish Differences Impede New North Syria Agreement
Arab World
London – Ibrahim Hamidi
At least 10 discrepancies surfaced between Moscow and Ankara on finding a new de-escalation agreement for Syria’s northern province of Idlib. Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a call with his Turkish counterpart, decided to send a delegation to Ankara to hold an urgent negotiations session. According to information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, 10 differences were revealed at the negotiations session. This included the area that would be covered by the de-escalation agreement. Ankara insists that Moscow sends Syrian regime forces behind Turkish control points in northern Hama and southern Idlib, according to the Sochi agreement. Russia, even though indulging some of Turkey’s requests, rejected the withdrawal of Syrian army forces. As for the de-escalation agreement, while Russia wants it to be temporary, Turkey is seeking a permanent deal with an international mechanism for monitoring its implementation. Moscow is also keen on re-opening the Aleppo- Damascus and Aleppo- Latakia highways at a time Turkish-backed militias had cut both roads. Talks are ongoing to send patrols to both sides of the roads. Ankara is also committed to keeping its army and demands that any new agreement includes an air embargo, something which the Russian delegation has yet to agree to. The focus has been on reducing tensions on the ground while continuing to fight terrorists recognized as such by the United Nations Security Council, Moscow’s foreign ministry said in a statement. Officials from both Turkey and Russia also said they want to “protect civilians inside and outside the (Idlib) de-escalation zone and provide emergency humanitarian aid to all those in need”, the ministry said.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2156916/russian-turkish-differences-impede-new-north-syria-agreement
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