ANKARA, March 10. /TASS/. Turkey and Russia have reiterated commitment to lasting ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib de-escalation zone, Turkey's National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday after telephone talks between the two countries’ defense ministers, Hulusi Akar of Turkey and Sergey Shoigu of Russia.

"Akar and Shoigu exchanged views on the ceasefire in Idlib and on the issues of the return of more than one million refugees. The sides reiterated their commitment to the ceasefire, their liabilities under the agreement [on Idlib], and efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region," the ministry said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said earlier on Tuesday that the two defense ministers had discussed measures to stabilize the situation in Idlib. "The sides discussed issues of the implementation of the additional protocol to the memorandum on the stabilization of the situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone (signed in Moscow on March 5, 2020)," the ministry said, adding that the conversation was initiated by the Turkish side.

Russian and Turkish Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, held talks in Moscow on Thursday to agree a ceasefire and a number of other measures to settle the situation in Syria’s Idlib governorate. Under the agreements, hostilities are to be stopped along the entire contact line along with the enforcement of a ceasefire on March 6. Russia and Turkey will begin joint patrolling along the M4 highway from March 15 to ensure a security corridor. Moscow and Ankara reiterated commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and agreed to continue fight against terrorism.