Russia hopes to keep military bases in Syria, Guterres urges deescalation

Damascus (The Uttam Hindu): Russia hopes to keep its military bases in Syria as they are important in the fight against terrorism, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said late Thursday.

"I think there is general agreement that the fight against terrorism and the IS is not over, it requires collective efforts. In this regard, our presence played an important role in the fight against international terrorism," state-run RIA news agency reported, citing Bogdanov. The Russian diplomat added that Moscow has established contacts with the political committee of Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and discussed issues of ensuring the security of the Russian diplomatic mission and citizens in the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he is "deeply concerned" by the recent and extensive violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, urging parties to de-escalate violence throughout the country, his spokesperson said. "The Secretary-General is particularly concerned over the hundreds of Israeli airstrikes on several locations in Syria, and stresses the urgent need to de-escalate violence on all fronts, throughout the country," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief, said at a daily press briefing.

Turkey too on Thursday appointed an acting charge d'affaires at its embassy in Damascus, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported. Turkey's Ambassador to Mauritania, Burhan Koroglu, was appointed as the acting charge d'affaires at the Turkish embassy in Damascus. Turkey closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012, citing escalating violence and its call for then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down amid the country's civil war that began in 2011.

The country's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday discussed regional conflicts, bilateral ties, and mutual cooperation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Ankara, according to the Turkish presidency. In their meeting, Erdogan emphasised the importance of strengthening relations between the two nations, which have surpassed a century, said a statement from his office. He expressed his commitment to increasing mutual trade volume and deepening cooperation across various sectors, said his office.