Turkish president, UK premier speak on phone

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke Wednesday to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over phone, according to Turkey’s Presidential Communications Directorate.

Erdogan and Johnson discussed the developments especially in Syria's Idlib and Libya, as well as bilateral relations, the directorate said in a statement.

Turkey and Russia agreed last September to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone where acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib would remain in areas where they were already present, while Russia and Turkey would carry out joint patrols in the area to prevent a resumption of fighting.

The Syrian regime and its allies, however, have consistently broken the terms of the cease-fire, launching frequent attacks inside the de-escalation zone.