ANKARA: The defence ministers and intelligence chiefs of Iran, Russia, Syria and Turkiye held talks on Tuesday that Ankara and Moscow described as constructive, as part of efforts to rebuild Turkiye-Syria ties.
Moscow is Assad's main ally and Russia has encouraged a reconciliation with Ankara.
At the talks in Moscow, the ministers and intelligence service chiefs discussed strengthening security in Syria and the normalisation of ties between Ankara and Damascus, the Turkish and Russian defence ministries said in separate statements.
All four countries reaffirmed their desire to preserve Syria's territorial integrity and the need to intensify efforts for the speedy return of Syrian refugees to their country, the statements said.
The Syrian and Turkish defence ministers previously held talks in Moscow in December, marking the highest-level encounter between the two countries since the war began.
Turkiye's foreign minister last week said that a meeting of foreign ministers of the four countries that would build on the December talks may take place in early May, but he later said it was postponed because the parties could not agree on an exact date.
"We are preparing for a meeting to be attended by defence ministers and intelligence chiefs" of Turkiye, Russia, Syria and Iran, Akar said.
"Our aim is to solve the problems through negotiations and to bring peace to the region as soon as possible."
Ankara and Damascus have had few formal contacts since Turkiye began backing rebel effort to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has opened up to the idea of holding a peace-building summit with the Syrian leader.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed Erdogan's efforts.
But Assad has said he will only meet Erdogan if Turkiye withdraws troops from northern Syria.
Erdogan says he needs the military presence as a security precaution against attacks on Turkiye by Kurdish groups.
Earlier this month, diplomats from Iran, Russia, Turkiye and Syria met in Moscow to pave the way for a foreign ministers' meeting. — Agencies
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