Erdoğan, Putin Agree to 'Stabilize' Idlib

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

According to a statement by the presidency's communication office, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vladimir Putin discussed the latest developments in Syria. The two leaders also touched upon the Middle East agenda and further development of bilateral cooperation, the statement said.

During the phone conversation, Erdoğan asserted that the Syria's attacks in Idlib, an area where a cease-fire is supposed to be in effect, damage efforts to find a solution to Syria crisis and pose a serious threat to Turkey's national security.

CLICK - Syrian Army Takes Control of Key Town in Idlib

Turkey and Russia agreed last September to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone where acts of aggression are prohibited.

The Kremlin also released a statement, saying that Putin and Erdoğan discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation in the context of stabilizing the Idlib de-escalation zone.

CLICK - Syrian Airstrike Stops Turkey's Military Convoy in Idlib

They agreed to intensify joint efforts to eliminate the terrorist threat emanating from that region and ensure the implementation of the Sochi Memorandum, it said.

Taking into account the forthcoming fifth summit of the guarantor states of the Astana process due in September, they also considered other aspects of the Syrian peace process, including the work being done by Russia, Turkey and Iran in cooperation with the UN to form and launch the Constitutional Committee, the Kremlin statement added. (PT/VK)