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Middle East and North Africa

Turkey urges for active international efforts to settle Syrian problem

Erdogan said the final settlement of the Syrian conflict should feature Russia

ANKARA, November 22. /ITAR-TASS/. Turkey is for more active international efforts to settle the Syrian problem, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass deputy CEO Mikhail Gusman, on the eve of his visit to Russia.

“Turkey has been paying the highest price due to the events in Syria,” he said. The number of Syrian refugees in the country “is over 600,000.”

“Our expenses in that sphere have exceeded two billion dollars,” he said. “And the assistance from the international community has made $135 million. About 200,000 Syrians live in tents, 400,000 live in the country’s various provinces.” The prime minister says the humanitarian problem may be solved with involvement of Russia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.

Erdogan said the final settlement of the Syrian conflict should feature Russia, Turkey, the US, Iran and all the permanent members of the UN Security Council. “In that case, we shall come to the problem’s solution much quicker.

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Middle East and North Africa

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

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