Russian Vladimir Putin made sure the world knew of the progress the Russian Federation, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, were making in Syrian peace talks with NATO member, Turkey. The press conference was a marked departure from the animosity the two leaders felt after Turkey shot down a Russian jet that had penetrated its airspace from Syria.
“We rate very highly the level of interaction achieved between the special services of Russia and Turkey and between the two countries’ military,” Putin told a news conference following talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Moscow on Friday, reported Russian state news agency TASS.
Russia, Iran, and Turkey came together in Astana to apparently conclude a peace agreement for the region that has been enveloped in a civil war for several years.
“This is a tangible result of our joint work,” he said.
“I want to express cautious optimism over the possibility that by joining efforts and involving other reputable players, including the United States, we will succeed in effectively contributing to the strengthening of the ceasefire and switching on this ground to full-fledged political settlement…naturally, the principle of the territorial integrity of states must be observed for peace and calmness to persist in the region and for the start of the process of rebuilding Syria and other countries of the region.”
“In this sense, the restoration of the territorial integrity of Syria is, in our mind, an obligatory condition for full-fledged settlement,” Putin said.
In Putin’s estimate, the situation in Syria “remains tense and there are very many factors of uncertainty, contradictions in the region and in the country.”
“Active measures by Russia and Turkey have not only achieved the termination of hostilities between Syrian government troops and the armed opposition but also allowed for starting meaningful, direct talks between the conflicting parties in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.”
“The sides spoke for pooling efforts of the entire world community to rebuff terrorism,” he said. “We agreed with our Turkish colleagues to continue active cooperation in fighting against terrorist groups, first of all Islamic State, to coordinate the activities of the military and security services.”
