Russia, Iran, Turkey to hold trilateral Syria talks

The Ministers are expected to discuss the next stage in the Battle of Aleppo once the last remaining opposition neighbourhood is cleared.

Moscow, Dec 19 Russia on Monday said it will hold a trilateral meeting on the situation in Syria with Iran and Turkey.

Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu, his Iranian counterpart Hossein Dehqan and Turkey's Fikri Isik are due to gather in Moscow on Tuesday, coinciding with the meeting of the nations' respective Foreign Ministers Sergei Lavrov, Mohammad Javad Zarif and Mevlut Cavusoglu, reports Efe.

A statement released by the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs said the discussions would focus on finding a solution to the conflict in Syria, while aiming to contribute to the resolutions made by the UN Security Council.

The Ministers are expected to discuss the next stage in the Battle of Aleppo once the last remaining opposition neighbourhood is cleared.

While the ongoing evacuation process was brokered by the three regional powers, the Syrian civil war has provoked conflicting policies from the nations.

Both Russia and Iran have maintained firm support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by providing military support and counsel, while Turkey employs members of the opposition Free Syrian Army in an attempt to create a buffer zone in Syria's north.

The mass evacuations marked an effective end to the opposition insurgents who have held eastern Aleppo since it collapsed into war in 2012.

IANS