Russia, Iran and Turkey have no secret agenda on Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
The foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey discussed the situation in Syria, including Aleppo, in Moscow on Tuesday. Given the involvement of the militaries of all three countries in the events in Syria, the defense ministers joined the negotiations.
After the talks, the ministers said it was important to expand the ceasefire regime in Syria and voiced readiness to become the guarantors of an agreement between Damascus and the Syrian opposition that was being drafted. Besides, Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed a joint statement to revive the political process to end the conflict in Syria. The document reaffirms respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The only agenda that exists and can exist for us — I hope that Turkey and Iran share it — is to find ways to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation, to prevent new complications and further suffering for residents of the country,” Ryabkov said.
He said that basic approach was shared in practice by Tehran and Ankara.
“This is important in itself. But how can there be a secret agenda? We are talking about the situation on a daily basis, and never deviate from the fact that the goal is to eliminate the terrorist threat and to create conditions when Syrians themselves could determine the future of their state,” Ryabkov said.
“It sounds simple, but it is extremely difficult to achieve this. However, there is no alternative,” he said.
Ryabkov added that no one “makes any secret of the content of the agreements,” whereas “the statement speaks for itself.”
The United States and the European Union would have to accept the newly-forged agreements on Syria between Russia, Iran and Turkey, Sergey Ryabkov said.
“I can imagine, considering the stance that a country assumes and what line it holds, that the US and EU would not like everything in yesterday’s agreements. But life is life, and this will have to be accepted that assumed that such is the new reality,” Ryabkov
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