Link: Russia closely coordinates its actions in Syria with Turkey, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, she said: "We closely coordinate our views and the implementation of a concrete policy in Syria with our Turkish colleagues, both in foreign policy and in military counter-terrorism operations on the ground," she said.Zakharova also announced that a meeting regarding further efforts to restore the peace in Syria, which will be in the Astana format, will take place in Moscow "in the nearest time.""The three guarantor countries of the Astana format maintain intensive contacts through various channels. Of particular importance are the meetings of heads of state, as well as foreign and defense ministers. Cooperation is carried out both on a bilateral and trilateral basis. I can say that such contacts are planned in the near future, they will take place in Moscow," she said.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had informed about a scheduled visit to Moscow in late December.
She also said northern Syrian territories under the control of U.S.-backed People's Protection Units (YPG), PKK affiliate, should be given to the Bashar Assad regime."The question emerges: who will receive control over the U.S.-held Syrian territories? Obviously, in accordance with international law and taking into consideration what Syria and its people have been through, it should be the Syrian government," Zakharova said.
Pointing out that there has been no contact yet between Washington and Damascus on the matter, Zakharova added that it was still unclear whether the U.S. will "continue to conduct air strikes and limited ground military operations."