Sedat Önal

Delegations from the foreign ministries of Greece and Turkey will meet in the Greek capital Friday for political consultations as part of the effort launched by Athens and Ankara to de-escalate tensions in the Aegean Sea and promote bilateral relations.

A Russian delegation, led by Russian special presidential envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, last week held a meeting with Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal to discuss efforts for a political process in Syria, including the launch of a constitutional committee as an important stage in resolving the Syrian crisis.

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal (2nd L) leaves after a meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan at State Department in Washington, U.S., August 8, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

A Turkish delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal has begun key meetings in Washington Aug. 8 to resolve the current crisis in relations after the U.S. slapped sanctions on Turkey over the detention of pastor Andrew Brunson.

Ambassadors Faruk Kaymakçı and Sedat Önal and minister consultant Yavuz Selim Kıran have been appointed as deputy foreign ministers with a presidential decree issued on the Official Gazette on Aug. 7.

Russia, Iran, and Turkey, co-sponsors of Syrian peace talks held periodically in Kazakhstan, will meet on July 30-31 in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi to discuss issues related to the seven-year-long civil war.

The first of the three technical committees of Turkey and the U.S., formed to solve issues between the two countries, will meet on March 8-9 in Washington, according to Turkish authorities on Tuesday, Daily Sabah reported.

Diplomats, army and intelligence officials from Turkey, Russia and Iran came together in Kazakhstan's capital a day before of the sixth round of Astana Process talks, which will be held in a bid to discuss the establishment of de-conflict zones inside Syria for cementing cease-fire in the war-torn country, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Sept. 13. 

It is not the first time U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition To Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) Brett McGurk raised eyebrows in Turkey.

Turkey and the U.S., Ankara's biggest ally in the Western defense organization NATO, are embroiled in a new row over the Syrian civil war and are publically accusing each other of helping terrorists.