A Russian delegation will visit Türkiye to discuss the situation in Syria and the military operation that Ankara threatened to carry out against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday that a Russian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, would visit Türkiye Thursday and Friday, to discuss issues of common interest.
The FM announced that discussions between the two countries continue, and the exchange of views continues on Ukraine and other regional issues, such as Syria, Libya, and others.
Cavusoglu added, during a press conference with Moldovan counterpart Nicu Popescu in Istanbul on Wednesday, that Türkiye continues to discuss all issues with Russia, despite disagreements.
On the Astana process, Cavusoglu said that officials have not yet decided on the ninth meeting of the Constitutional Committee, knowing that the Russian delegation would not go to Geneva because of the visa issue.
He asserted that they are working on alternatives, but the political process needs to be accelerated, reiterating the importance of achieving stability in Syria.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday that delegations headed by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and his Russian counterpart Sergey Vershinin would address the Black Sea grain export deal and regional issues such as Syria, Libya, and Palestine.
Russian demands
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov explained that Moscow seeks the return of Turkish-Syrian relations, which could ensure border security.
Speaking at an international forum in Moscow, Lavrov said that Syria and Türkiye must secure borders and return relations as they were during former president Hafez al-Assad, noting that based on the Adana Agreement signed between Ankara and Damascus in 1998, the two countries can resume talks.
Lavrov added that Türkiye and Syria should solve specific issues related to ensuring border security, considering Ankara's legitimate concerns recognized by the Damascus government.
He stressed that Russia seeks to ensure there be no encroachments on Syria's territorial integrity, considering that whoever influences Syria must hold talks with President al-Assad and his regime.
The Foreign Minister pointed out that Moscow and Ankara agreed to sort out the armed opposition factions based on the ones that accept dialogue with the Syrian regime.
Lavrov called on the SDF to conduct a dialogue with the Syrian regime, warning that those labeled as "terrorists" feel safe in the areas controlled by the US forces in Syria.
US warning
Meanwhile, the US warned of any Turkish attack on the SDF sites in Syria.
The US envoy for northeastern Syria, Nicolas Granger, stressed that any Turkish military attack on the region would have dire consequences, saying that Washington did not give Ankara the green light to do so.
Speaking to Kurdish media, Granger said that the US opposed Turkish military activities and rejected destabilization in northeastern Syria, warning that any Turkish attack would destabilize the region and reflect negatively on efforts to combat ISIS.
Meanwhile, Turkish security sources identified the "terrorist" female neutralized by Turkish intelligence last July in northern Syria as Civana Heso, code-named Roj Habur.
Heso was trained by US forces and trained more terrorists to act against Türkiye at the Dilovan academy affiliated with the Kurdish People's Defense Units.
In July, the US Central Command angered Türkiye by tweeting condolences for a Syrian Kurdish deputy commander and two other female fighters killed by a drone strike.
Clashes continue
Turkish forces stationed in the Peace Spring areas targeted Abu Rasin town, northwest of al-Hasakah, with heavy artillery, amid the displacement of civilians towards the eastern countryside.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) pointed out that the Turkish attack came after the killing of a member of the pro-Ankara al-Hamzat Division and the injury of others.
SDF fired heavy artillery shells and missiles on positions of Turkish-backed factions in Anik Al-Hawa and Dawodiyah Mala Salman villages within the "Peace Spring" area.
