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Turkish FM says ground operation in Syria by Turkey, Saudi not on agenda

Xinhua, February 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday that a ground military operation in Syria by Turkey and Saudi Arabia is not on the agenda.

Any such move would need to involve all the countries in the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS), Cavusoglu told a joint press conference here with his visiting Italian counterpart, Paolo Gentiloni.

He described Russian air strikes in Syria as "the greatest obstacle" to achieving cease-fire at Geneva peace talks.

Cavusoglu said he has had a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry over a draft cease-fire agreement.

"I've expressed concerns of the Syrian opposition," Cavusoglu said, adding that the opposition groups will assess the draft and make a statement at a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Gentiloni, the Italian foreign minister, said the process in Syria should be monitored, underlining that the sides embrace a diplomatic solution.

The United Nations-backed peace talks, which were suspended earlier this month, are scheduled to resume in Geneva on Thursday.

Last week, Cavusoglu said that it is unrealistic for Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to conduct ground operations in Syria alone.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates earlier announced their readiness to send troops to Syria under the umbrella of the U.S.-led anti-IS coalition. Endit