EU Foreign Ministers Cautiously Welcome Russia-Turkey Cease-Fire

EU foreign ministers, meeting in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, Friday on the crisis in Syria’s Idlib province cautiously welcomed the Russian-Turkish cease-fire.”For sure I am pleased for the cease-fire, the cease-fire is good news. At least it’s goodwill, let’s see how it works,” EU High Representative Josep Borrell said as he arrived for talks.”It is important now to concentrate on humanitarian aid and I would welcome if Russia would respect the concept of humanitarian aid corridors to be widened,” Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said.Some EU countries, led by the Netherlands, have called for a no-fly zone over Idlib to stop the Russia-backed Syrian government forces from bombing civilian targets.”EU countries are willing to provide humanitarian aid to Idlib. The challenge is to get aid into the area and that’s where the cease-fire might help. A no-fly zone might help even more,” Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said.However, the 27-member bloc has no power to implement or enforce a no-fly zone, and officials have privately expressed skepticism.FILE – People check damage in a street following an airstrike by Syrian government forces in the town Maarrat Misrin, in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, Feb. 25, 2020.Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday agreed to a cease-fire in northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, following talks on easing tensions in the region.In Moscow Thursday, the two leaders said the cease-fire would take effect at midnight local time in Idlib, where a Syrian and Russian offensive has driven more than 1 million civilians toward the Turkish border over the past three months. Idlib is the last remaining rebel stronghold in Syria.”I express hope that these agreements will serve as a good basis for a cessation of military activity in the Idlib de-escalation zone [and] stop the suffering of the peaceful population and the growing humanitarian crisis,” Putin said.Erdogan said they would “work together to supply aid for the Syrians in need” and said he reserved the right “to respond to all [Syrian] regime attacks in the field.”Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are seen during their meeting in the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, March 5, 2020.The offensive has triggered what may be the world’s worst-ever humanitarian crisis, the United Nations has said.Putin and Erdogan back opposing sides in the nine-year war, with Erdogan backing some Syrian rebel groups and Putin supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Russia and Turkey have previously reached multiple cease-fire agreements in Idlib but none has been successful.The two leaders also agreed to secure a key highway in the Idlib area with joint patrols beginning next week.The announcement comes days after Erdogan said he would open his borders to Western Europe. Since then, migrants have massed at the Turkish-Greek border, leading to clashes with Greek police. Turkey hosts more than 3.5 million migrants and refugees from Syria. 
…