Syria: Turkish Foreign Minister tells Russian counterpart on need of permanent ceasefire in Idlib
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Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday he told his Russian counterpart that attacks in Syria’s northwestern Idlib region must stop immediately and that a lasting ceasefire had to be achieved there.
“I have met with Sergey Lavrov and said the aggression in Idlib should stop,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters after the 56th Munich Security Conference, according to Anadolu News agency.
A permanent cease-fire should be established, he added. He said Turkish and Russian delegations will meet on Monday in Moscow to discuss the latest situation in Idlib.
In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited. But more than 1,800 civilians have been killed in attacks by regime and Russian forces since then, flouting both the 2018 cease-fire and a new one that started on Jan. 12.
Cavusoglu said he has once again emphasized the necessity of the permanent cease-fire in Libya during the ministerial meeting in Munich. Turkey has contributed significantly to international efforts for the cease-fire, said Cavusoglu, adding illegitimate armed forces loyal to renegade commander Khalifa Haftar have been continuing violations.
An international monitoring mechanism should be established under the auspices of the UN, he added. World powers and regional actors have launched on Sunday an international committee to oversee pledges made for an arms embargo and cease-fire in Libya.
