- Title: U.S. Syria position "changeable and contradictory" - Russia's Lavrov
- Date: 22nd October 2019
- Summary: SOCHI, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 22, 2019) (RUSSIAN POOL) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, AND MINISTER OF DEFENCE, SERGEI SHOIGU, STANDING NEAR MICROPHONES (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, AND RUSSIAN MINISTER OF DEFENCE, SERGEI SHOIGU, SAYING: LAVROV: "We do not especially look back at the United States and their position. Firstly, this position is rather changeable and contradictory. Secondly, the coalition that the United States lead is illegally on the Syrian territory. It is well known. I hope that those seedlings of understanding among some of the members of the coalition that the policy should be changed, that there is need to cooperate with the Syrian government, I hope those seedlings rise." SHOIGU (LOOKING AT HIS WATCH): "Just to add, the United States have 1 hour 31 minutes to fulfil the responsibilities they have taken. The 120 hours expire after 1 hour 31 minutes." SHOIGU SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "The Russian Federation, represented by its military police, together with the Turkish forces will patrol this territory (Syria-Turkey border from the Syrian side outside of Operation Peace Spring area) a week after the memorandum come into force, tomorrow noon. The units of so-called Kurdish Defence Forces will be withdrawn from this area for 30 kilometres. 10 kilometres of this 30km zone will be the area of joint patrols by Russia and Turkey." LAVROV SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN MINISTER OF DEFENCE, SERGEI SHOIGU, SAYING: "There was a time frame, more than two days when the guard have been taken off some of the camps. As a result, according to our sources, about 500 of those who had been in that camps - I will not go and say that all of them are terrorists - ran away. We are told by those who control this area that the measures are being taken to take them back to their homes." LAVROV, SHOIGU WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 5th November 2019 18:50
- Keywords: Syria Turkey military operation Lavrov Shoigu Russian Army military in Syria
- Location: SOCHI, RUSSIA
- City: SOCHI, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001B26KTHJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkey and Russia agreed on Tuesday (October 22) to remove the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia to beyond 30 km (19 miles) from the Turkish border, after which their troops will jointly patrol a narrower strip of land in a "safe zone" Ankara has long sought in northern Syria.
Beginning at noon (0900 GMT) on Wednesday, Russian military police and Syrian border guards will move in to facilitate the removal of YPG members and weapons to beyond the zone in a mission that should take about six days, according to the deal.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hailed the deal as one that would end the bloodshed in the region, while Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey had no designs on Syrian territory as it continued to push the YPG south.
The YPG, the key component in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that have for years fought alongside U.S. troops against Islamic State, will also leave the towns of Tel Rifaat and Manbij under the deal struck between Erdogan and President Vladimir Putin in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Ankara regards the YPG as terrorists because of their ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is waging an insurgency in southeast Turkey.
Speaking to journalists after the news conference Russian minister of defence Sergei Shoigu also said that p to 500 people, including Islamist fighters, had escaped from captivity in northern Syria after their guards left their posts.
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