ANKARA — Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced on Monday that the Turkish and Syrian defense and intelligence chiefs would meet in Moscow along with their Russian and Iranian counterparts this week.
In his statement, Akar said the meeting is planned to take place on Tuesday. The gathering will mark the second round of talks, the first of which was held in late December between the Turkish, Syrian and Russian defense and intelligence chiefs as part of the recent Ankara-Damascus thaw. Iran joined the process earlier this year.
Speaking on Monday, Akar said Ankara was aiming to resolve the conflicts in Syria through the four-way talks.
The landmark talks were brokered by Moscow, which has long been seeking a reconciliation between Ankara and Damascus after more than a decade of hostilities.
