Russian and Turkish defense ministers discuss situation in Idlib de-escalation area
MOSCOW. May 14 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar discussed ways to settle the situation in Syria's Idlib de-escalation area in a phone call, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"The defense ministers exchanged opinions on security in the Middle East region, including the settlement of the situation in the Idlib de-escalation area," it said.
The sides also discussed bilateral military cooperation, the ministry said.
Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported the Shoigu-Akar telephone conversation earlier on Tuesday. Akar and Shoigu discussed measures to reduce tensions in the region and the latest developments in Idlib, it said.
The Kremlin press service said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had had a telephone conversation initiated by the Turkish side.