Progress between Türkiye and Syria stands out at the conclusion of the Astana summit | News

A joint statement by the guarantors, Russia and Iran, highlighted on Wednesday the importance and progress of the negotiations between Türkiye and Damascus during the twentieth meeting on Syria in the Astana format.

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The Astana format talks began in 2017 to restore peace and stability to Syria, rocked by more than a decade of conflict with foreign invasion following internal turmoil.

Also, the joint statement made public by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday noted the "constructive spirit" of the consultations held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, at the level of deputy foreign ministers.

According to the statement, the parties discussed the progress in the preparation of the road map for the restoration of relations between Ankara and Damascus.

The guarantor countries expressed their determination to work together to combat terrorism "in all its forms and manifestations", as well as to oppose "separatist agendas" aimed at undermining Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity and threatening the national security of the neighboring countries, the statement added.

The statement also "condemned the activities of terrorist groups and their affiliates operating under different names in various parts of Syria, including targeted attacks on civilian facilities and camps for internally displaced persons resulting in the loss of innocent lives."

On the other hand, they "stressed the need to fully implement all agreements related to northern Syria", and condemned "the actions of countries that support terrorist entities, including illegitimate self-government initiatives in northeast Syria."

The joint statement also rejected all attempts to create "new realities on the ground," including "illegitimate self-government initiatives" under the guise of combating terrorism. On the other hand, it reaffirms the parties' determination to face "separatist agendas" that seek to threaten the national security of neighboring countries.