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Lavrov urges to separate terrorists and opposition in Syria’s Idlib soonest possible

MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has urged to waste no time to separate Syria’s opposition from terrorist groups in the Idlib de-escalation zone.

"In line with the Sochi memorandum, as agreement was reached to separate the armed opposition from terrorists of Jabhat al-Nusra (a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia), which has been transformed into a structure for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham," Lavrov said at a news conference on Monday.

Special mechanisms for contacts between the Russian and Turkish leaders and between defense officials of the two countries were set up to monitor the implementation of the memorandum, he recalled. "The major role in these efforts is to be played by Turkey. We insist that it must be done as soon as possible," he stressed, adding that a great number of provocations are staged in Idlib both against Russia and Syrian servicemen.

"Illegal traffic of weapons, oil, artefacts and drugs in Syria and in the entire region is flourishing as a result of the reckless aggressive policy of interference into these nations’ affairs from outside," he added.