MOSCOW, Feb. 20 - RIA Novosti. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, commenting on the situation around Afrina, pointed out that all issues on this topic should be resolved in the context of the territorial integrity of Syria.

"You asked the second question about Afrina and we strongly support that any problems, be it in Syria or elsewhere, be solved with respect for the territorial integrity of the state in question, in this case the Syrian Arab Republic," he said. Minister at a press conference with his Pakistani counterpart.

Lavrov expressed his conviction that "the legitimate interests of ensuring Turkey's security can be fully realized and satisfied through direct dialogue" with the government of Syria.

"We recognize the concerns of Turkey in the context of what is happening in Syria around its perimeter, of course, we recognize the aspirations of the Kurds, but what we do not recognize and what we are opposing is attempts to speculate on these aspirations ... I mean the attempts of foreign powers to speculate on these aspirations and to promote in Syria, and in the region as a whole, an agenda that has nothing in common with the legitimate interests of the Kurdish people, aimed at achieving their geopolitical, narrow-minded goals, "the minister added.

Link: https://ria.ru/syria_chronicle/20180...015.html?inj=1