Turkish, Russian militaries agree on borders of Idlib demilitarized zone
"Just yesterday or the day before, the militaries of Russia and Turkey agreed the concrete frontiers of the Idlib demilitarised zone," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his Bosnian counterpart Igor Crnadak.
- Middle East
- Compiled from wire services
- Published Date: 12:00 | 21 September 2018
- Modified Date: 05:41 | 21 September 2018
Turkish and Russian militaries have agreed on the borders of the Idlib demilitarized zone, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.
Speaking during a visit to Sarajevo, Lavrov said that Nusra front fighters should leave the zone by mid-October, but stressed that the United States' control over the eastern bank of the Euphrates river posed the main threat to Syria's territorial integrity.
"We are already drawing conclusions, doing all necessary not to depend on those countries that are acting that way with their international partners," Interfax quoted Lavrov as saying.
Turkey's defense ministry said the borders of the demilitarized zone to be set up in Idlib were agreed in meetings with a Russian committee.
The borders were agreed taking into account the area's geographical structure and residential areas, it said, adding that the meetings were held between Sept. 19-21 at Turkey's defense ministry.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russia's Vladimir Putin announced an agreement on Monday under which Russian and Turkish troops will enforce the new demilitarized zone in the Idlib region, from which "radicals" will be required to withdraw by the middle of next month.