"There must be a diplomatic solution. But the diplomatic solution which has been negotiated up to now by sides has no results in any outcome. But from now at least we can expect with a hope that [there] would be a change in parameters in favor of territorial integrity of Syria otherwise split up of Syria would be a problem for all countries including Turkey as the bordering state," Yilmaz said.
According to Yilmaz, the Russia-Turkey-Iran format is a new start that can contribute to bringing all warring parties in Syria together under a format the US-Russia one, and if the United States contributes to these efforts it could lead to facilitating Syrian unity.
"We need to work in a concerted manner, together with opposition, together with Syrian regime and with all relevant parties otherwise there is no hope, there is no military solution," Yilmaz added.
Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, following the protests that had turned violent, as part of the so-called Arab Spring. Over the recent months, Aleppo became a major battleground in Syria. On December 16, the Russian Defense Ministry's center for Syrian reconciliation said that the Syrian army operation to liberate the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo was over, and that the Syrian government troops were eliminating separate hotbeds of militant resistance.