26 Dec 2018 20:23

High-level Turkish delegation to visit Russia to discuss Syria on Dec 29

ISTANBUL. Dec 26 (Interfax) - A high-level Turkish delegation will visit Russia at the end of the week, the newspaper Daily Sabah reported, citing Justice and Development Party spokesperson Omer Celik.

The visit is expected to take place on Saturday, December 29.

The delegation will include Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.

They plan to discuss Syria, Celik said.

Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Hakan Fidan are also among the members of the delegation, he said.

Cavusoglu said earlier that he was planning to visit Moscow to discuss Syria. He said the withdrawal of U.S. troops should not benefit Kurdish units active in the country.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier that he was planning to hold a personal meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. He said that an official Turkish delegation would visit Moscow and that his meeting with Putin might be planned following that visit.