Turkey and Russia held political consultations in Istanbul on Thursday and Friday, and addressed regional issues as Ankara reiterated its expectation from Moscow on its pledges regarding the withdrawal of PKK/YPG terrorists from Syria, an official statement said on Saturday.
Delegations headed by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and his Russian counterpart Sergey Vershinin addressed bilateral ties, UN reform, the Black Sea grain export deal, as well as regional issues such as Syria, Libya, and Palestine, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
During the talks, Onal noted the importance of maintaining Syria's territorial integrity and political unity as well as the necessity of reaching a political solution to the crisis, which began from the 2011 civil war.
Turkey reiterated its determination in its counter-terrorism efforts against the PKK/YPG/PYD terror group and conveyed its expectation from Russia to fulfill the provisions of the 2019 memorandum of understanding on PKK/YPG terrorists in Syria.
"The vital role of the extension of the UN’s cross-border aid mechanism for Syria to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to more than 4 million people in need was reaffirmed. Benefits of the ongoing implementation of the crossline assistance were also recognized," the statement said.
On the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the two officials exchanged views on the deal's full implementation.
"The importance of the continuation of the agreement that ensured shipment of more than 13 million tons of grain to world markets through the Black Sea and facilitation of the export of Russian grain and fertilizer was emphasized," read the statement.
The Turkish side also highlighted the need to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible, underlining the "importance of resuming negotiations for a just and sustainable solution, and to this end reiterated its readiness to offer all manner of support."
The "need for reform at the UN was also addressed during the meeting," and the Turkish side underscored its position that the composition and decision-making mechanisms of the intergovernment organization, in particular the Security Council, should be reconfigured from a more comprehensive, just and effective standpoint.
