Turkey's stance on participation of Kurds in Syrian settlement remains unchanged, Moscow maintains dialogue with Ankara on this issue - Russian Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Moscow believes that the comprehensive settlement of the Syrian crisis is only possible with the participation of Syrian Kurds, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
"It [Russia's stance on the Kurds] remains unchanged, and a dialogue in this regard is being maintained with Ankara. They operate in northern Syria, they are a factor there, and, essentially, it may be difficult to imagine how to ensure the comprehensive settlement of the Syrian crisis and how could it be practically implemented without the participation of the Syrian Kurds," Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Fourth European Department Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said in an interview with Interfax.
"The Turkish side has its own stance on this issue, and it's quite unyielding so far, but we maintain a dialogue on this subject with them," he said.
The diplomat said that participation of Kurds in the political process in Syria remains an issue "to which we have different approaches with Turkey."
"As you know, we have already, as part of the International Syria Support Group, offered to involve representatives of the Syrian Kurds in the format of negotiations, but the Turks firmly opposed that," he said.