Russia, Turkey, Iran call for calm and dialogue in Syria

By Marina Villén

Tehran, Jul 1 (efe-epa).- Russia, Turkey and Iran on Wednesday called for calm and dialogue in the Syrian region of Idlib, where an unstable truce has been in force since March.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian premier Hassan Rouhani held a video conference as part of the Syrian peace process.

Moscow and Tehran support Bashar al-Assad’s regime while Ankara backs the opposition.

The three nations said in a joint statement that there can be no military solution to the war in Syria and that the conflict can only be brought to an end through a political process.

Erdogan said the priority is the “achievement of calm in the field and the protection of Syria’s political unity and territorial integrity”.

Russia and Turkey agreed a ceasefire in Idlib and its surrounding region on 6 March but radical factions have continued to fight against the Syrian army.

The Idlib region is the last opposition stronghold in the country.

The three countries said they are determined to continue with the fight to eliminate terrorist groups in the country, where IS and Al Qaeda continue to operate in certain areas.

Putin called for new measures to neutralize terrorist groups that are still active and warned that IS activity in Idlib has increased.