The Russian side held a large number of detailed talks on the margins of the Astana format meeting, including extended consultations with UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen. Russian Presidential Special Representative for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev said this on Wednesday following the 19th international meeting on Syria in the Astana format.
"The conversations with the delegations of Turkey, Iran and the Syrian opposition and the government took place on the margins of the forum yesterday and today, there were very interesting meetings with observers from Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon. Separately, we had extended consultations with UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen," he said.
Lavrentiev noted that the Russian delegation at a meeting in Astana with Turkish counterparts tried to persuade them to refrain from conducting a full-scale ground operation in Syria. "We, of course, used the Astana platform to hold very detailed talks with our Turkish counterparts and try to convince them to refrain from carrying out full-scale ground operations," he said.
According to Lavrentiev, if the operation is launched, there could be a serious escalation of violence not only in northeastern Syria, but also in the Middle East region as a whole. "This, of course, cannot happen," stressed the special representative of the Russian president.
"We are counting on the fact that our arguments will be heard in Ankara and other options for solving the existing problem will be found," Lavrentiev pointed out.
He added that resolving the Kurdish issue is an important factor that could help stabilize the situation in the region.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that a cross-border ground operation in northern Syria against Kurdistan Workers' Party and Popular Self-Defense Forces based there, recognized as terrorists by Ankara, could be conducted in the near future.
The Turkish air operation Claw-Sword started on November 20, involving more than 50 planes and 20 drones. Aircraft were supported from the ground by artillery. The attacks were carried out on the locations of the Kurdistan Workers' Party and its Syrian branch People's Self-Defense Forces banned in Turkey. The Turkish Defense Ministry reported that the operation was successful in the districts of Qandil, Asos and Hakurk in northern Iraq, as well as in the districts of Arap Pynary, Tell Rifat, Jazira and Derik in northern Syria.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS