Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:
Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov will visit Turkey to discuss the Syrian crisis, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the TRT Haber news channel on Aug. 16.
He did not specify the exact date of Gerasimov’s visit.
Turkey and Russia actively cooperate on the crisis settlement, according to Cavusoglu.
The FM pointed out that, unlike the US, Russia is not arming the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly stated that in case of a YPG threat to the country's national security, Turkey may start a new military operation in Syria in co-op with the Free Syrian Army.
Turkey has been deploying military equipment to the border with Syria since June 21. Military equipment is in Turkey’s south-central province of Kilis, which borders Syrian territories controlled by the YPG and PYD.
It was earlier reported that Turkey had informed Russia on the possibility of starting a new military operation in Syria.
The General Staffs of Turkey and Russia had talks related to the new military operation in Syria. They agreed that if the Turkish Armed Forces start a new military operation in the Syrian city of Afrin, Russian military contingent will have to redeploy to another city.
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