Astana

Top diplomats from Turkey, Iran and Russia held a teleconference on April 22 and discussed developments in Syria, particularly in Idlib province and the east of River Euphrates amid growing concerns for the future of a fragile ceasefire in the former.

The foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia and Iran will hold a teleconference meeting on April 22 to discuss the developments in the Idlib province of Syria amid a fragile ceasefire between the Turkish army and Syrian regime forces.

Turkey's presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın has said that changing borders of the Idlib de-escalation zone in northwestern Syria, as determined by Astana and Sochi agreements, is out of the question.

Speaking at a news conference on Feb. 6, Ibrahim Kalın said it is not possible for Turkey to accept any proposal of change regarding the de-escalation zone.       

Turkey responded in kind to a regime attack against a Turkish army convoy in Syria's Idlib and would not tolerate any future Syrian attack on its troops, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Feb. 4, accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime of "increasing insolence."

Turkey said on Feb. 3 its military hit 54 of Syrian regime's targets after eight Turkish military personnel were killed by shelling in Idlib in northwest Syria, where fighting threatens to test ties between Ankara and Moscow.

Recent attacks in Idlib province of Syria and the following refugee influx to the Turkish border are a national security issue for Turkey, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) spokesperson Faik Öztrak said on Jan. 29.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned Russia that Turkey was running out of patience regarding the continued offensive by the Syrian army in Idlib and will take unilateral actions to stop it if Moscow fails to persuade Bashar al-Assad's regime to cease the military operations in the last rebel-held enclave.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Russia was not abiding by the Sochi or Astana agreements regarding Syria's northwestern Idlib province, broadcaster NTV reported on Wednesday.

Renewed bombardments by Russia-backed Syrian government forces on Idlib have raised concern of a new refugee wave from the area, where some 3 million people live.

The first meeting of Syria's constitutional committee will take place late October in Geneva with the participation of the three members of the Astana Process, as well as world powers, the U.N.'s special envoy for Syria has announced, expressing his hopes that the meeting will pave way for a much-anticipated peaceful resolution to the eight-year civil war in the Middle Eastern country.

A trilateral summit in Ankara between Turkey, Russia, and Iran will add new dimensions to the Astana peace process for Syria, the Turkish president said on Sept. 16.