Russia will encourage cooperation between Turkey and Syria - Lavrov

SOCHI, October 16. /TASS/. Russia will continue taking steps to promote dialogue on normalizing the situation on the border between the Turkish and Syrian leadership, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told an international gathering of intelligence and security chiefs, along with top law enforcement brass in Sochi. "Russia will continue acting in full compliance with international law and the UN Security Council’s resolution, encouraging achieving and fulfilling agreements between Damascus and the Kurds, and also contributing to establishing cooperation between the Syrian and Turkish authorities on ensuring security on their joint border, as this is regulated by the 1998 Adana pact," Lavrov stressed. On October 9, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched an offensive in northern Syria, dubbed Operation Peace Spring, which began with airstrikes on Kurdish units. Turkey's objective is to establish a safety zone in northern Syria for protection of the Turkish border. Ankara hopes Syrian refugees could return there from Turkey. The Assad government’s state news agency SANA slammed Erdogan's operation as an act of aggression. In addition, the world community has condemned Ankara’s actions. On Sunday evening, SANA reported that Damascus had sent troops to northern Syria in order to counter Turkish forces. Read more