AFP :
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday hosted his Iranian and Turkey counterparts for talks on Syria in the wake of an alleged chemical attack that has exposed differences between the three powers.
The three nations have been attempting to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict at talks that started last year in Astana, Kazakhstan, in competition with the US and UN-backed Geneva initiative.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held separate bilateral talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and then Iran’s Mohammad Javad Zarif, who stressed the warmth of their relationship in opening comments. These were to be followed by three-sided talks. Meeting his Turkish counterpart, the Russian diplomat stressed the “great importance” both Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attach to improving relations.
Cavusoglu, in translated comments, praised the “atmosphere of trust that has grown up between us” and said the countries had “seriously moved forward on questions of Syria settlement.” He said Saturday’s meeting would discuss “what further steps can be taken.”
Lavrov also held a bilateral meeting with Iran’s Zarif, who hailed the three countries’ work together in
the Astana process as a success, saying it led to “the defeat of the Islamic State group.”
Zarif said this was the only aspect of joint cooperation with “our Turkish friends” and it was “bearing fruit.”
Yet the latest talks in Moscow between two of Assad’s key supporters, Moscow and Tehran, and rebel-backer Ankara come as the alleged chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma on April 7 has prompted sharply differing responses from Turkey and Russia.
“I curse those who carried out this massacre,” Erdogan said, adding that he welcomed Western air strikes in retaliation as “appropriate”. Meanwhile Russia says the attack was staged to discredit its ally President Bashar-al Assad and this week brought a group of Syrians to the global chemical arms watchdog to back its claims.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday hosted his Iranian and Turkey counterparts for talks on Syria in the wake of an alleged chemical attack that has exposed differences between the three powers.
The three nations have been attempting to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict at talks that started last year in Astana, Kazakhstan, in competition with the US and UN-backed Geneva initiative.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held separate bilateral talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and then Iran’s Mohammad Javad Zarif, who stressed the warmth of their relationship in opening comments. These were to be followed by three-sided talks. Meeting his Turkish counterpart, the Russian diplomat stressed the “great importance” both Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attach to improving relations.
Cavusoglu, in translated comments, praised the “atmosphere of trust that has grown up between us” and said the countries had “seriously moved forward on questions of Syria settlement.” He said Saturday’s meeting would discuss “what further steps can be taken.”
Lavrov also held a bilateral meeting with Iran’s Zarif, who hailed the three countries’ work together in
the Astana process as a success, saying it led to “the defeat of the Islamic State group.”
Zarif said this was the only aspect of joint cooperation with “our Turkish friends” and it was “bearing fruit.”
Yet the latest talks in Moscow between two of Assad’s key supporters, Moscow and Tehran, and rebel-backer Ankara come as the alleged chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma on April 7 has prompted sharply differing responses from Turkey and Russia.
“I curse those who carried out this massacre,” Erdogan said, adding that he welcomed Western air strikes in retaliation as “appropriate”. Meanwhile Russia says the attack was staged to discredit its ally President Bashar-al Assad and this week brought a group of Syrians to the global chemical arms watchdog to back its claims.
