Turkey: Meeting with Syria, Russia, and Iran was "Constructive"

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu held talks with his counterparts from Turkey, Syria, and Iran on Tuesday as part of negotiations closely monitored in Moscow aimed at normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus. The Russian Defense Ministry announced in a statement following the meeting that the four countries reiterated their "desire to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria and the necessity to intensify efforts for the swift return of Syrian refugees to their homeland." Turkey noted that the defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of Turkey, Russia, Iran, and Syria had "constructive" discussions in Moscow on Tuesday, amid efforts to rebuild relations between Ankara and Damascus after years of hostility during the Syrian war. The Turkish Defense Ministry stated that "the ministers and intelligence chiefs discussed enhancing security in Syria and normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus." Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu earlier confirmed that "Turkey's forces will not withdraw from northern Iraq and Syria at this time," stating that "we do not seek to carve out parts of Syrian territory, and we can only withdraw from northern Syria once security is restored, and full stability returns to those areas."