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Four-party meeting on Syria to be held in Moscow on Tuesday — Turkey’s defense chief

The process of normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus kicked off on December 28, 2022, when the Russian, Syrian and Turkish defense ministers met in Moscow

ANKARA, April 24. /TASS/. Defense and intelligence chiefs from Turkey, Russia, Syria and Iran will meet in Moscow on Tuesday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Monday.

"A meeting between defense and intelligence chiefs from Turkey, Russia, Syria and Iran will be held in Moscow on Tuesday. Our goal is to find a solution to the existing issues through talks and ensure peace and tranquility in the region as soon as possible," Turkey’s defense chief told TRT television.

According to Akar, "a number of positive events" is expected to follow the Moscow meeting. He did not elaborate.

The process of normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus kicked off on December 28, 2022, when the Russian, Syrian and Turkish defense ministers met in Moscow. The ministers agreed to set up a joint trilateral commission. These consultations are to be followed by a meeting of the countries’ foreign ministers who will look at holding talks between Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Bashar Assad of Syria. Later, it was announced that the top Iranian diplomat will take part, too.

Erdogan said in mid-December 2022 that he had suggested to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that a trilateral meeting with the Syrian leader be organized. This summit, in his words, is to be preceded by talks between the countries’ special services, defense and foreign ministers.

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