Ankara, Dec 3 (IANS) Turkish and Iranian Foreign Ministers have expressed the need to defuse tensions following large-scale clashes between Syrian government forces and rebel militants in northwestern Syria.
In a joint press conference following a meeting with his Iranian counterpart in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday that his country has repeatedly issued warnings to all parties of the conflict to avoid escalation of tensions, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Recent developments in Syria show the need for compromise between the Syrian government and armed opposition forces, and Turkey is ready to contribute to such a dialogue if necessary,” he stressed.
“Turkey does not wish to see a further escalation of civil war in Syria,” Fidan said, stressing that problems unresolved in the past since the start of unrest in Syria led to the current situation.
He added that Turkey and Iran “saw eye-to-eye” in cooperation against terrorism, and Ankara would not allow terrorist groups to exploit instability in Syria.
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that his country also does not want an escalation of hostilities in Syria, according to the semi-official Anadolu Agency.
Tehran shares common concerns with Turkey regarding regional developments, particularly in Syria, Araghchi pointed out.
Both Ministers pledged to support the territorial integrity of Syria and that they are ready to implement what is required of them within the Astana format talks between Russia, Iran, and Turkey, Anadolu added.
Russia, Iran, and Turkey launched a process in January 2017 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, which aims for a peaceful settlement in Syria.
Regional players Turkey and Iran have intensified diplomatic discussions since the start of large-scale clashes between Syrian government forces and rebel militants.
Tehran was a staunch ally of the Syrian government during the civil war that broke out in 2011, while Ankara supported rebel factions.
–IANS
int/khz
