The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia, Syria and Iran met in Moscow on Wednesday, in the highest-level negotiations so far on rebuilding ties between Ankara and Damascus after years of animosity during Syria's civil war.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it's important to start working on restoring logistical ties between Damascus and Ankara, adding that facilitating the safe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland is a priority for the four countries. 

Lavrov also proposed to create a roadmap for the normalization of relations between Damascus and Ankara.

Türkiye cut relations with Syria in March 2012, a year after the conflict began in the Arab state.

In a tweet, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he stressed during the meeting the need for "cooperation in the fight against terrorism and working together to establish the basis for the return of Syrians."

At Wednesday's meeting, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad expressed readiness to engage in an open and constructive manner, saying it's Syrian's constant conviction that dialogue and discussion are the best way to reach the desired goals. 

"As long as this is based on mutual respect for the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the state, and non-interference in its internal affairs," he added. 

Iran welcomed the fresh Syria-Turkiye talks in Moscow, saying it signaled a strong message of peace and sustainable security in the region. 

"We deeply believe that these two countries can put the past behind them and resolve the bilateral issues through dialogue and deepening cooperation based on good neighborliness," Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told the quadrilateral meeting.