Turkish committee to visit Russia to discuss Syria

A committee of Turkish officials, including the Turkish foreign and defense ministers and the head of Turkish intelligence, will pay a visit to Russia on Saturday (Dec. 29) to discuss the latest developments in Syria, AK Party spokesman Omer Celik said Wednesday, DS reported.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin and National Intelligence Organization (MIT)'s chief Hakan Fidan will be among the officials visiting Moscow, Celik said.

A Turkish committee will also pay a visit to Washington soon, the spokesman said, adding that US National Security Adviser John Bolton is scheduled to come to Turkey after New Year's in early January.

Erdogan had said Tuesday that he would have a face-to-face meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin regarding the US withdrawal from Syria, saying "The US did its part" by announcing their pullout.

On Wednesday, Washington announced it will be withdrawing all of its troops from Syria, following a conversation between Erdogan and US Trump over an imminent Turkish cross-border operation to eliminate PKK-affiliated People's Protection Units (YPG) terror group from northern Syria.