British FM expresses solidarity with Turkey

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab expressed solidarity with Turkey when he spoke in Ankara on Tuesday. "We support Turkey's efforts to re-establish a ceasefire agreed in 2018 and to protect those civilians fleeing the regime's monstrous assault," he said during a joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Raab said Britain wa concerned by the Syrian government's actions in Idlib as well as the "significant escalation in military action by Russia".

"We have condemned these actions as flagrant violations of international law and indeed, basic human decency," Raab said.

Asked to comment on the migrant situation and Ankara's easing of restrictions on those wishing to cross into Europe, Raab spoke of the need of a "collaborative" approach by Britain, Turkey and the European Union.

Cavusoglu said Turkey was "respecting the refugees' wishes to move to secure third countries".

"We have no obligation to keep anyone in Turkey by force," he added.

Cavusoglu reiterated that Turkey wasn't able to absorb a new wave of refugees from Syria and called on European countries to respect migrants' human rights.

"The institutions of the European Union must show respect to the common values of Europe and humanity," Cavusoglu said. "They must protect the human rights of the migrants."