Russia Slams as ‘Unacceptable’ Turkey Operation in Syria
Tuesday, 15 October, 2019 - 12:15
Asharq Al-Awsat
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1946756/russia-slams-%E2%80%98unacceptable%E2%80%99-turkey-operation-syria

Russia condemned as “unacceptable” on Tuesday Turkey’s military operation in
northeastern Syria, revealing that Ankara’s offensive was not cleared by
Moscow in advance.

“We had always urged Turkey to show restraint and always considered some
kind of military operation on Syrian territory unacceptable,” said Alexander
Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy for Syria, told Russian
news agencies.

He made his comments after Turkey ignored new sanctions from the United
States to press on with its assault on northern Syria while the
Russia-backed Syrian regime forces entered one of the most hotly contested
cities, filling a void created by US President Donald Trump’s abrupt
decision to pull out American troops.

Lavrentiev’s comments, which suggest growing tensions between Turkey and
Russian, came a day after the Kremlin complained that Turkey’s incursion was
“not exactly” compatible with Syrian territorial integrity.

“The security of the Turkish-Syrian border must be ensured by the deployment
of Syrian government troops along its entire length,” said Lavrentiev. “That’s
why we never spoke in favor or supported the idea of Turkish units (being
deployed there) let alone the armed Syrian opposition.”

Lavrentiev confirmed that Russia had brokered an agreement between the
Syrian regime and Kurdish forces that saw the Kurds cede control of
territory to Syrian troops.

Those talks had taken place at Russia’s Hmeimim air base in Syria among
other places, he said.

Moreover, he said Moscow will not allow Turkish and Syrian regime forces to
clash.

He said that "no one is interested" in potential fighting between regime
troops and Turkish forces that entered Syria last week. Lavrentiev said
Russia "is not going to allow it."