- Title: Russia: Syrian offensive does not violate agreements with Turkey
- Date: 26th August 2019
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (AUGUST 26, 2019) (REUTERS) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV AND ANGOLAN FOREIGN MINISTER MANUEL DOMINGOS AUGUSTO ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "Syrian armed forces with our support are not violating any agreements. I will repeat once again what President Putin has said multiple times, the agreements reached in September last year, implied the creation of a de-escalation zone, and securing a ceasefire on the part of the illegal militias, with understanding that the groups, defined as terrorists by the U.N. Security Council, are not freed from the Council's decisions. They were not a part of the ceasefire from the start." CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "No-one ever agreed not to carry out counter attacks on the shooting terrorist forces. So when the Syrian army liquidated the (militant) group in Khan Sheikhoun, this was done completely legitimately and necessary to reach the U.N. Security Council's goals on Syrian settlement." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "I have an impression that the members of G7 group started talking one another into or out of something. We have nothing to do with that. We have not asked anyone of any (favour). As I have said we found out of the very existence of this matter from the public statements of some of our Western colleagues. We have not made any addresses about this and we will not do it." MEDIA MINISTERS SHAKING HANDS
- Embargoed: 9th September 2019 11:27
- Keywords: Russia Foreign Minister Lavrov Angola Manuel Domingos Augusto conflict in Syria
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ATUVB5Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday (August 26) that the Russian-backed Syrian government offensive in Idlib did not violate any agreements with Turkey.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday that Syrian army attacks in northwest Syria were causing a humanitarian crisis and threatening Turkey's national security, the Turkish presidency said.
Syrian troops have encircled rebels and a Turkish military post in northwest Syria in an offensive to reclaim territory and towns they lost early in the war.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Lavrov also said Russia had no plans to re-join the G7/G8.
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