The top diplomat expressed hope that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would still be able to "fulfil the agreement from his part"
Syria waiting for Russia to see if Idlib deal fulfilled
Syrian FM says needs ‘time’ to determine if deal cheating buffer zone in northwest implemented after jihadists miss deadline to leave area.
Monday 15/10/2018
The top diplomat expressed hope that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would still be able to "fulfil the agreement from his part"
DAMASCUS - Syria said Monday it was waiting for Russia to determine whether a deal creating a buffer in the northwest was implemented, hours after jihadists missed a deadline to leave the zone.
A Russian-Turkish truce agreement reached nearly a month ago for the region of Idlib gave "radical fighters" until October 15 to leave a proposed demilitarised area between government and opposition forces.
Jihadists failed to withdraw overnight, but Foreign Minister Walid Muallem did not declare the deal dead.
"We must give the time... to judge whether the agreement was fulfilled or not," Muallem told reporters during a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart in Damascus.
"We have to wait for the Russian reaction. Russia is monitoring and following the situation," he said.
The top diplomat expressed hope that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would still be able to "fulfil the agreement from his part".
But he hinted that the military option was not off the table, saying jihadist groups in Idlib "must be removed from its last stronghold in Idlib".
"We have to wait, but at the same time, our troops are still ready around Idlib," Muallem said.
"Idlib -- as any other province -- has to return back to the Syrian sovereignty," he repeated.