Senior Turkish lawmaker Volkan Bozkır
Senior Turkish lawmaker Volkan Bozkır on Wednesday received Russian Ambassador to Turkey Alexei Yerkhov and Jeffrey Hovenier, charge d'affaires of the U.S. in Ankara, in separate meetings.
"We exchanged views on the recent developments in our region. We also discussed the mutually agreed new mechanism to be created, in order to intensify the parliamentary cooperation between our countries," Bozkir, the head of the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee, tweeted after meeting Yerkhov.
About Friday's trilateral summit between the leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran on Syria, Bozkir said he is hopeful for the outcomes of the meeting in Tehran.
"Because, these three countries, which recognize and take responsibility for the region, will take the necessary decisions for the region to let it look to the future with peace," he added.
Bozkir said Turkey is in close cooperation with Russia on Syria, adding: "Our desire is distinguishing civilians from militant groups in Idlib and so preventing any civilian loss during any possible operation here."
Russia's deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday that the military situation in the Syrian opposition-held province of Idlib would become clearer after a summit in Tehran on Friday, the TASS news agency reported."I think the situation from a military point of view will become clearer after, among other things, the leaders of the three guarantor states (Russia, Iran, Turkey) hold talks on Friday (September 7)," Sergei Ryabkov told a news conference. Ryabkov said that any Russian military action in Syria tried to minimise civilian casualties and was precisely targeted, the RIA news agency reported.Kremlin says situation in Syria's Idlib Province of heightened concernRussia resumed air strikes in the opposition-held enclave of Idlib province on Tuesday after a hiatus of several weeks, according to a Syrian opposition member and a war monitor."We, as we have said many times before, act precisely, selectively, trying to minimise possible risks to the peaceful population," RIA quoted Ryabkov as saying.Ryabkov added that the situation in Syria cannot be "normalized until the problen in Idlib is solved." US takes advantage of Idlib crisis to increase support for PKK/YPG in SyriaTurkey, Russia hold last working group meeting on SyriaSyrian opposition head calls on world to ‘stop the massacre’ in IdlibAssad regime shells Syria's IdlibErdoğan says Idlib assault would be ‘a grave massacre’
Russia says summit to help clarify military situation in Syria's Idlib
Regional developments, ties discussed
After receving Hovenier, Bozkir tweeted: "We discussed the recent developments in the region and in the bilateral relations between our two countries and possible initiatives to be taken at the parliamentary level to improve relations."
About political tensions between Turkey and the U.S., Bozkir said neither Ankara nor Washington have the luxury of having a "hostile" attitude toward each other.
"I do not think these problems cannot be solved. In the upcoming period, I wish we will take part in world politics as two friendly and allied countries that trust each other," he added.
Bozkir said Turkey pays importance to friendship with the U.S., adding: "We will find a solution to the problems through mutual negotiations."
Hovenier said he looks forward to working with Bozkir and other leaders of the Turkish government.
For Syria's Idlib, which was bombed by Russian warplanes on Tuesday, Hovenier said the U.S. and Turkey have the same concerns.
He added U.S. President Donald Trump was "quite clear" about the U.S. position.
Trump on Monday warned against Assad regime's possible attacks in Idlib urging Iran and Russia not to make "a grave humanitarian mistake" by taking part in the attacks.
As the Assad regime and Russia shell the last opposition-held stronghold of Syria’s Idlib, humanitarian agencies are worried about internally displaced citizens and refugees flocking to Turkey and Europe.Speaking to Yeni Şafak daily, head of the Turkish Red Crescent Kerem Kınık emphasized that if a battle breaks out in Syria’s opposition-held Idlib, hundreds of thousands of civilians would flee to Turkey and Europe, which would spell the start of a “new immigration wave.”On Tuesday, Russian warplanes bombed several areas in the last opposition-held stronghold of Idlib, raising worries of a major assault by the Assad regime forces and its allies.Stressing the importance of the international community’s need to gain the trust of Syrian civilians, he said: “The immigration issue is not a threat to Turkey alone, it can turn into an immigration wave toward Europe. This issue must be resolved at the [diplomacy] table. However, we have taken every precaution both in Turkey and Syria.”The Turkish Red Crescent has been providing humanitarian aid to Syrians since March 15, 2011.'White Helmets saved 115,000 lives in Syria' Migration issue must be solved by diplomacyStating that seven million civilians were internally displaced in Syria, “2.5 million of these people are in Idlib. A wave of fear could mobilize them. We witnessed this in Ghouta. It is impossible to govern this many people. This problem must be solved at the table.” “Civilians in Idlib trust Turkey, not Russia or Iran,” he concluded.Idlib, located in northwestern Syria on the Turkish border, has faced intense attacks by the Bashar al-Assad regime after a vicious civil war broke out in 2011. Since March 2015, Idlib is no longer under the control of the Assad regime and has been overrun by opposition groups.New refugee camps to be establishedThe Turkish Red Crescent is continuing to take measures against a possible new migration wave from Syria’s Idlib and to manage the process efficiently they will implement the “help on the ground” strategy.“We will increase the capacity of the designated refugee camps in the event of a new migration wave in the areas within the scope of the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations. We will establish new camps if needed,” Kınık said.He added that the organization has been supporting Syrians accommodated in 40 separate camps with 30,000 tents.“We continue to dispatch tents and provide humanitarian relief. Mobile health vehicles will be added to our regular services in the near future. These healthcare vehicles will be used in the case of a possible emergency. Aid for the disabled, orphans, elders and widows will be increased. We will reach our goal by helping as many people as possible, Kınık said.Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others were displaced, according to UN officials.Assad regime shells Syria's IdlibRussia says in contact with Turkey regarding northern SyriaSyrian opposition head calls on world to ‘stop the massacre’ in Idlib
Idlib offensive could trigger new wave of migration to Europe, Turkey
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the situation in Syria's Idlib Province remained of heightened concern and that Russia was talking to various countries about it."The situation in Idlib is still a matter of heightened concern and worry and, of course, it is on the agenda when it comes to all contacts that the Russian side has at various levels with relevant colleagues," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a conference call. Turkey, Russia hold last working group meeting on SyriaSyrian opposition head calls on world to ‘stop the massacre’ in IdlibAssad regime shells Syria's Idlib
Kremlin says situation in Syria's Idlib Province of heightened concern
Syrian opposition head Jawad Abu Hatab has called on Turkey and the international community to stop the massacre in Idlib after Russian bombardment struck 18 targets in the northwestern opposition stronghold. Speaking exclusively to Yeni Şafak daily, the prime minister of Syria’s Interim Government described the Russian attack that precedes a planned summit in Tehran on Sept. 7 as “surprising,” noting that over 30 missiles struck the Idlib town of Jisr al-Shughour, then Hama’s Sahl al-Ghab region.A trilateral summit of Turkey, Russia and Iran on Syria is scheduled for Friday, with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.Assad regime shells Syria's IdlibOn Tuesday, Russian warplanes bombed several areas in the last opposition-held stronghold of Idlib, raising worries of a major assault by the Assad regime forces and its allies.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than 3 million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.“A serious ground mobilization can be seen on the regime front, but any ground bombing or advance has not started yet,” noted Abu Hatab.UN aid chief fears worst humanitarian crisis in IdlibUS Turkish embassy voices concern over Idlib offensiveAbu Hatab pointed that the Assad regime grew emboldened by international indifference toward Syria, pointing that the aim of pro-Assad forces is to control the opposition-held towns of Ariha, Khan Sheikhun, Saraqib, Jisr al-Shughour, Qalaat al-Madiq and the M4- M5 highway. In May 2017, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” -- in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden -- as part of ongoing peace talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana.Ghost townsAbu Hatab also warned that the northwestern opposition-held regions would turn into “ghost towns” if the regime manages to seize control over them, which would successfully secure the western leg of Assad’s project after the PKK-U.S. alliance largely completed the same mission in the eastern parts of the country.A large-scale Syrian regime offensive in the opposition stronghold of Idlib could lead to the “worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century,” the UN’s humanitarian chief warned on Tuesday.Erdoğan says Idlib assault would be ‘a grave massacre’Russia says in contact with Turkey regarding northern Syria
Syrian opposition head calls on world to ‘stop the massacre’ in Idlib