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Conflict in Syria

US plans for distributing control in buffer zone in Syria unlawful, Moscow says

Amid US plans for pulling out of Syria it is necessary to make sure first the terrorist threat will not return to the territory of northeast Turkey, Russia's top diplomat said

MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. US plans for making decisions at its sole discretion who will control the buffer zone in Syria are unlawful, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference on Tuesday.

"I don’t think the United States’ statements it will decide at its sole discretion who will maintain security in the buffer zone will have chances to succeed. These statements are not legitimate," Lavrov said. "My sincere advice to all those the United States would like to let in there to think thrice before taking such an unlawful action."

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Erdogan criticizes US for supporting Kurdish units in Syria

"In view of the US plans for pulling out of Syria it is necessary to make sure first the terrorist threat will not return to the territory of northeastern Turkey. Also, it is necessary to let the Kurds return to their native territories, because the United States had evacuated Kurds to traditionally Arab lands, thus provoking a conflict between the Kurds and the Arabs," he said.

All this was discussed at the Russia-Iran-Turkey summit in Sochi on February 14.

"A certain arrangement was achieved on the basis of the Syrian-Turkish agreement of 1998 (envisaging Turkey’s right to carry out small-scale trans-border operations against terrorists in Syria’s border zone - TASS). "How this agreement will be implemented in practice is to be decided through consultations by Syrian, Russian and Turkish military officials," Lavrov said.

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Sergey Lavrov Syria Turkey Syrian conflict

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