Arab League Welcomes Russian-Turkish Agreement On Syria's Idlib - Ambassador To Russia

The League of Arab States (LAS) welcomes the Russian-Turkish agreement on a buffer zone in Syria's Idlib, the ambassador of the LAS to Russia, Jaber Habib Jaber, told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2018) The League of Arab States (LAS) welcomes the Russian-Turkish agreement on a buffer zone in Syria's Idlib, the ambassador of the LAS to Russia, Jaber Habib Jaber, told Sputnik.

Last week, Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Ergogan of Turkey agreed to set up a demilitarized zone in Idlib by October 15 to avoid large-scale civilian casualties that an anti-terrorist operation there might cause.

"[This has] been most welcome in our countries. We think that this avoid[s] the tragedy [including] civilian casualties. But it is important how Turkey is able to deliver their promises, whether they are able to convince the extremists to deliver heavy weapons .

.. It is important to implement this agreement on the ground," Jaber said.

The LAS believes in the importance of the political process in Syria, the ambassador said.

"Of course we should at the beginning fight terrorist groups to exclude them, and those in the resistance which been accepted by the government could be part of the solution," Jaber said.

The armed conflict has been ongoing in Syria since 2011, but last year the focus has shifted from fighting terrorists to a political settlement.