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President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a meeting about Idlib in Sochi yesterday (September 17).
Putin and Erdoğan signed a memorandum of understanding calling for the stabilization of the situation in the de-escalation zone in İdlib.
Erdoğan: Opposition groups will remain where they are
Speaking at the press conference held after the meeting, President Erdoğan said, "We have agreed to create a demilitarized zone between the areas controlled by the opposition groups and by the regime."
Erdoğan also stated that Turkey will conduct joint patrols along the perimeter of the zone and added that the country will strengthen the observation points in the İdlib de-escalation zone.
Regarding the opposition groups in İdlib, Erdoğan said, "Opposition groups will continue to remain in the areas where they are. We will ensure that radical groups will not operate in the region. Russia will also take the necessary precautions to prevent any attacks on the de-escalation zone."
Putin: Heavy weapons will be withdrawn
President of Russia Vladimir Putin made the following statement:
"We agreed that by October 15, we will create along the contact line between the armed opposition and government troops a demilitarized zone of a depth of 15-20 kilometers, with the withdrawal from there of radically-minded rebels, including al-Nusra.
"By October 10, at the suggestion of President of Turkey, we agreed on the withdrawal from that zone of the heavy weapons, tanks, rocket systems and mortars of all opposition groups.
"The demilitarized zone will be monitored by mobile patrol groups of the units of the military police of Turkey and Russia."
Shoigu: We will coordinate all the issues
In response to a question whether the agreement between Russia and Turkey on the creation of a demilitarized zone in İdlib means that an operation will not be conducted in İdlib, Minister of Defence of Russia Sergei Shoigu answered, "Yes."
To the question of "Has Damascus agreed to postpone the operation?", Shoigu said, "In the next few hours, we will coordinate all the issues set forth in the memorandum with the authorities in Damascus." (HK/SD)
* Sources: Sputnik, Reuters
