Sputnik - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said he expects that the issue of setting up the fourth and final Syrian de-escalation zone in Idlib will be successfully resolved during talks with Russia and Iran.




ANKARA (Sputnik)�� On August 6, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that work on�setting up�the fourth Syrian de-escalation zone in�the province of�Idlib is underway, however,�certain difficulties remain.
"As for�the situation with�Idlib, negotiations continue, our intelligence has close contacts with�Russia and with�Iran. Concerning Idlib, the talks were positive, and I think that within�the framework of�the constantly negotiated negotiations with�Moscow and with�Tehran, we will be able to�quickly come to�a solution to�this situation," Erdogan told reporters.


The agreement on�establishing�four Syrian safe zones�was reached during�the talks on�Syrian reconciliation in�Astana in�May. On August 3, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said the representatives of�the Russian Defense Ministry and moderate Syrian opposition reached an agreement during�their meeting in�Cairo on�July 31 on�the third de-escalation zone in�Syria, north of�Homs.

Prior to�that, agreement was reached on�two de-escalation zones in�the rebel-controlled south along�the border with�Jordan and in�Eastern Ghouta. The functioning of�the remaining fourth zone is yet to�be agreed with�Syrian opposition.

The ceasefire regime within�the zones is expected to�facilitate access of�humanitarian missions to�the regions, create conditions for�the restoration of�infrastructure in�the conflict-torn areas and encourage refugees and internally displaced people to�return to�their homes.

The ceasefire in�Syrian de-escalation zones does not cover the militants of�the Jabhat Fatah al Sham, formerly known as�Nusra Front, and Daesh terrorist groups.

Last Saturday, a member of�Syria's Tomorrow opposition movement�told Sputnik�that the efforts of�Russia and Egypt will possibly make Syria's northwestern Idlib province the next stage of�de-escalation in�the country after�the province of�Homs.