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Idlib is a refuge for civilians and rebels displaced from other
areas of Syria as well as for powerful jihadist forces. It has
been hit by a wave of air strikes and shelling this month in a
possible prelude to a full-scale government offensive.
Turkey has backed some rebel groups in the region and set up a
dozen military observation posts. It is trying to avert an
attack by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who
is backed by Moscow.
"A military solution here would be a disaster, not just for the
Idlib region, but a disaster in terms of Syria's future," Mevlut
Cavusoglu told a news conference in Moscow with his Russian
counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
The two ministers met in Ankara 10 days ago and Cavusoglu then
gave a similar message, saying it would be a "massacre" to bomb
Idlib, even though there are militants there.
"Where will some 3.5 million civilians go to?" Cavusoglu said on
Friday.
"It is important for all of us to neutralize these radical
groups," he said. "But we have to distinguish the civilians from
the terrorist groups."
Idlib is controlled by an array of insurgent groups, with Sunni
Muslim jihadists believed to be the dominant force there.
Lavrov told the same news conference that tens of thousands of
militants were trying to obstruct Turkey's efforts to separate
them from more moderate forces.
He said further talks on Idlib would take place in Moscow later
on Friday involving the two countries' defense ministers and
intelligence services.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to hold talks with
Cavusoglu later on Friday.
(Reporting by Daren Butler in Turkey and Andrey Ostroukh and
Andrew Osborn in Moscow; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Ros
Russell)
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