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Russian deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, disclosed that all agreements concluded with Turkey about Syria’s Idlib primarily aim at eliminating the last bastion of terrorism in the war-torn country, and annihilate the militants who refuse to surrender.
Bogdanov, who also serves as the special envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Middle East, told Novosti on Saturday that Moscow expects that all deals concluded will be fully and strictly implemented.
“We continue to communicate and work with our Turkish partners in accordance with the agreements held on September 17. We need to clarify the details from our forces that are in close contact with Ankara”, Bogdanov said in an interview on the sidelines of international forum “Dialogue of Civilisations”.
“I think work is underway. Let’s hope that everything we have agreed on in Sochi memorandum will be implemented”, he added.
The top Russian diplomat underlined that Idlb agreements are ‘temporary’ and ultimately aim at ‘eliminating the terror bastion in Syrian in general, and particularly in Idlib, as well as regaining the unity and sovereignty of the Syrian government’.
When asked to comment on the Syrian FM’s remarks that extremists in Idlib who refuse to surrender their arms by mid-December shall be eliminated, Bogdanov said “of course, terrorists who refuse to lay down their arms and carry on attacks shall be either captured or killed. This was 0evidently stated by Russia and other partners including the legitimate government in Damascus”.
It is noteworthy that Russia, Iran and Turkey are the guarantor states for Astana peace talks and the resulting ceasefire.
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