The Regional ‘Great Game’ Continues: Arman Abovyan

Member of the Armenian National Assembly from the Prosperous Armenia faction, Arman Abovyan, posted a statement: "Well, the regional 'great game' continues. Analyzing the interim results, we have the following picture.

The Russians were able to prevent the Turks from controlling strategically significant areas in the Idlib direction while simultaneously forcing the Turks to accept the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. The Turks managed to save face by seeking to de facto legitimize their military presence in Syria.

However, I assure you that it is impossible that by autumn we will not witness the next anti-Russian attack by the Turks. It has been this way, it is this way, and it will be this way. As for us, we have only one thing to say: we will not weaken and will continue to closely monitor the developments.

On March 5, a meeting took place in Moscow between the presidents of Russia and Turkey, V. Putin and R.T. Erdoğan. The parties discussed the situation in Syria's Idlib province. As a result of the six-hour negotiations, the parties signed a joint statement on establishing a ceasefire in Idlib, creating a security corridor in Idlib province, as well as conducting joint Turkish-Russian patrols.

The main points of the Turkish-Russian agreement signed on March 5 are:

• End military operations along the entire front line of the demilitarized zone in Idlib. A ceasefire will be established in Idlib starting from March 6 at 00:00.
• Create a security corridor extending 6 km north and 6 km south from the M4 highway. The Ministries of Defense of Turkey and Russia will determine the specific parameters of the security corridor within the next 7 days.
• Joint Turkish-Russian patrols will begin on March 15 of this year along the section from the village of Turumba to the village of Ain al-Havr on the M4 highway.

The agreement comes into force from the moment of signing. It was signed by the Ministers of Defense of Turkey and Russia."