Al-Watan learned from follow-up sources in Moscow that the upcoming meeting of the assistant foreign ministers of Syria, Russia, Iran and Turkey may take place early next week on the third and fourth of April in the Russian capital, Moscow.
The sources indicated that intensive contacts took place in the diplomatic corridors of the capitals of the four countries, with the aim of reaching an agreement on a final formula leading to the possibility of holding the meeting in Moscow, indicating that these contacts and consultations produced rapprochement on a number of points, which had previously prevented any political breakthrough between Damascus and Ankara.
The sources pointed out that the guarantees that Damascus insisted on in terms of the need to pledge to withdraw from its occupied lands and stop supporting armed organizations constituted the main title of the intensive consultations that took place during the past weeks, which apparently led to an agreement that might push Damascus to agree to sit at one political table with the Turkish side. At the level of assistant foreign ministers, which will clearly clarify the Turkish intentions, bearing in mind that the same sources confirmed to Al-Watan that another meeting will take place in the Russian capital between the defense ministers of the four countries and representatives of the security services, days after the meeting of the assistant foreign ministers.
In the event that the Quartet convenes, this will be the first political breach between Damascus and Ankara in about 12 years, after the tripartite meeting between the defense ministers of Syria, General Ali Abbas, Turkey, Hulusi Akar, and Russia’s Sergey Shoigu, which took place in Moscow at the end of last year.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov confirmed in his statements yesterday that the quadripartite consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers of Russia, Syria, Turkey and Iran may take place in Moscow in early April.
“We are preparing soon,” Bogdanov said in a statement to “Sputnik” agency, in response to a question about the possibility of holding quadripartite consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers.
The Russian Deputy Minister expressed his belief that these consultations will take place at the beginning of April in Moscow, in order to prepare for the ministerial meeting.
Last Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Syrian-Turkish rapprochement, where the importance of continuing the normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus was emphasized.
The Kremlin press office said, in a statement yesterday: “During the call, the issue of the Syrian crisis was touched upon, and the importance of continuing the process of normalizing Turkish-Syrian relations was emphasized.” The statement added: “The Turkish president stressed, in this regard, the constructive role of Russian mediation.”
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also announced in his statements that efforts are underway to hold a quadripartite meeting that includes Iran and Russia on Syria, indicating that this meeting will not include the leaders, as he put it.
In a televised interview, according to Anadolu Agency, Kalin pointed out that additional details about the developments of this track will appear soon, explaining that three main issues are on the table, which are coordination in the war on terrorism, pushing the political process to continue the Astana talks, and a dignified return. Syrian refugees to their homeland.