Turkey and Russia, two of the main backers of opposing sides in Syria's civil war, said on Thursday they agreed on the need for a halt to fighting and the provision of aid in Aleppo but deep divisions remain between them over the conflict. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he and his visiting Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov agreed on the need for a ceasefire in Aleppo, but added that Turkey's stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was unchanged. Russia is a main backer of Assad, while Turkey supports the rebels fighting to oust him. But he also vowed Russia would continue its operations in eastern Aleppo and would rescue the city from what he described as terrorists. While remaining divided on Assad's future, Ankara and Moscow have been trying to find common ground on Syria since a rapprochement in August.

Source: Egypt Independent December 01, 2016 12:17 UTC