German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and French President Emmanuel Macron hold hands at a news conference after a Syria summit, in Istanbul, Turkey
Leaders of Turkey, Russia, Germany and France on Saturday expressed their determination to end bloodshed in war-torn Syria at the earliest.
Following a Syria summit in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron held a joint news conference calling on the international community to work hand in hand for a sustainable solution in Syria.
"We have discussed a political solution in line with Syrian people's legitimate demands which moves to reach stability in the country," Erdogan told reporters.
"Our aim is to reach a complete cease-fire to halt bloodshed," he said, adding that the four nations agreed to increase cooperation among themselves and at the international level on the issue.
The leaders also called for the completion of the constitution committee's process for establishing a Syrian constitution by the end of this year that would pave the way for an inclusive and fair election in the country which has borne the brunt of a devastating civil war since 2011.
Turkey, Russia, Germany and France in a joint statement on Saturday called for a constitutional committee on Syria for free and fair elections in the war-torn nation.The statement was released following a Syria summit in Istanbul with the attendance of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.The leaders “expressed their support for an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that is facilitated by the United Nations,” according to the statement.They called for establishing and early convening of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva by end of the year, to achieve constitutional reform, paving the way for free and fair elections under UN supervision and in compliance with the highest international standards of transparency and accountability, with all Syrians, including members of the diaspora.Germany backs Turkish, Russian efforts in SyriaThe leaders also expressed their firm conviction against any “military solution” to the ongoing conflict in Syria, underlining the conflict could be resolved “only through a negotiated political process in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254".They emphasized “the importance of increased coordination among all international initiatives which aim at contributing to a credible and sustainable solution” to the Syrian crisis.“The importance of implementing confidence-building measures to contribute to the viability of the political process and a lasting cease-fire” was also underlined in the joint statement.Turkey and Russia, guarantor countries of the Astana peace process and the Idlib demilitarized zone deal, along with two heavyweights in the European Union also “reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”German media covers Istanbul summit on Syria widelySyrian people must have a say on their future: Macron
Istanbul summit urges new constitution, polls in Syria
Fate of Assad
On the future of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the Turkish leader reiterated Ankara's stance underlining that his fate should be decided by Syrian people rather than some "individuals".
Stating the summit was "productive" and "sincere", Erdogan said they had agreed that humanitarian aid should continue in order to alleviate suffering of the Syrian people.
Syrian civilians and neighboring countries -- particularly Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan -- had to shoulder the burden of distress arising from crisis in Syria for a long time, according to Erdogan.
Turkey is the top refugee host in the world welcoming around 3.5 million Syrians since the beginning of the Syrian civil war.
Erdogan said the main reason why the Syrian conflict became a global menace is "because the international community did not respond adequately".
The German chancellor pledged support for Turkey and Russia on Saturday for their joint efforts to achieve a permanent cease-fire in Syria’s Idlib province.Speaking at a joint news conference after the four-nation summit on Syria, Angela Merkel underlined the importance of the Sept. 17 agreement between Ankara and Moscow to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib.“Today, we have committed ourselves to do everything to achieve a sustainable, permanent ceasefire in Idlib,” she said.Ankara and Moscow agreed in September to establish a demilitarized zone in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib.Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib are to remain in areas where they are already present, while Russia and Turkey carry out joint patrols in the area with a view to preventing a resumption of fighting.On Oct. 10, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced that the Syrian opposition and other anti-regime groups had completed the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the Idlib demilitarized zone.Merkel underlined that despite their differences the leaders of Turkey, Russia, Germany and France had “a very productive meeting” in Istanbul, and managed to reach an agreement on a joint communique, covering most important issues of the Syrian conflict.German media covers Istanbul summit on Syria widelyFree elections in SyriaMerkel repeated her call for reviving the UN-led political process for Syria, stressing that there could be no military solution to the conflict.“At the end of this political process, there should be free elections. All Syrians, including those in the diaspora, should be able to cast their ballots,” she said.Merkel said the leaders would do their utmost in the coming days to see the constitutional committee for Syria starting its work by the end of this year.On Russia’s proposals for the return of Syrian refugees, Merkel underlined that the realization of such proposals were also dependent on the political process.When asked about her bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and French President Emmanuel Macron earlier on Saturday, Merkel said in both of these meetings they have also discussed the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.“As there has been no clarification until now, there will be no arms exports to Saudi Arabia,” she said, referring to her government’s decision to stop weapons exports to Saudi Arabia.Merkel said they would wait for further information from the investigation, and accordingly discuss with other EU member states for a common stance and possible measures against Riyadh.Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, was last seen on Oct. 2 when he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.After weeks of denying involvement in his disappearance, Riyadh recently admitted that he had been killed inside the consulate by an operation involving intelligence officers.But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir insisted that Mohamed bin Salman -- Saudi Arabia’s crown prince -- had no prior knowledge of a plot to murder the journalist.Syrian people must have a say on their future: Macron
Germany backs Turkish, Russian efforts in Syria
International community should 'end indifference'
However, he said that many countries realized severity of the situation when the crises affected them, referring to the massive refugee influx to European states.
He also urged the international community to "end indifference" regarding the conflict, calling for international support to increase efforts to find political solution as well as to improve situation on ground in Syria.
Referring to the Astana peace process -- brokered by Turkey Russia and Iran -- which ensures cease-fire and a de-escalation zone in Idlib, Erdogan added that participation of France and Germany in the Astana process would develop the synergy for Syria solution.
He said that Iran, as one of the guarantor countries of the Astana process, would be briefed over the decisions taken in the Istanbul summit.
"Astana peace process for Syrian conflict sets an example to international community," he added.
Ankara is determined to continue efforts to find solution to Syrian issue on Astana platform as well as some other wider platforms in the international arena "like today's summit in Istanbul," he went on to assert.
"We agreed to increase cooperation among the four countries and at the international level" regarding the Syria peace negotiation, Erdogan noted.
The four-nation Istanbul Summit on Syria between Turkey, Russia, Germany, and France on Saturday has been widely covered by German media outlets. Under the headline “the quadripartite summit plans a new start for peace process in Syria”, weekly Der Spiegel’s internet page emphasized the importance of agreement between the leaders for the Syrian constitutional committee’s meeting by the end of this year.The country's public broadcaster ARD reported that the German, Turkish, Russian and French leaders have defined “permanent ceasefire” in Syria’s Idlib province as their short-term goal.ARD also underlined that despite doubts among some observers ahead of the meeting, the quartet summit managed to agree on a joint statement, calling for a political solution and stressing that there would be no military solution to the conflict.Germany’s influential Sueddeutsche Zetiung daily has also highlighted the success of the summit.“The Syrian summit in Istanbul ended with an agreement on the basic elements of a political process in Syria,” the daily reported.Four-way Syria summit kicks off in IstanbulTurkish president meets German, Russian, French leaders
German media covers Istanbul summit on Syria widely
Counter-terror operation in east of Euphrates
On Turkey’s effort to eliminate terrorists along its borders in northern Syria, Erdogan repeated Ankara’s determination for a possible counter-terror operation in east of the Euphrates River.“We will continue to eliminate threats to national security in the east of Euphrates as well as in its west in Syria,” he said, referring to Turkey's cross-border operations in Syria since 2016 -- Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch -- meant to rid border areas of terrorist groups such as the PKK/PYD/YPG and Daesh.
Syrian people must have a say on their future, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday.Speaking at a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel following a Syria summit in Istanbul, Macron underlined the importance of a permanent and sustainable cease-fire in Syria's Idlib."It is not our business to decide for Syria but we can help Syrians make decisions about their future," Macron said, emphasizing that conditions for Syrians to vote and determine their own future needed to be set up in a constitutional framework.Macron said restructuring of an inclusive Syria "is very important."He added that without "a political solution" a repatriation process "cannot be convincing and inclusive".Four-way Syria summit kicks off in IstanbulMacron accused the Syrian regime of acting on a logic of conquest in military terms and said it was not a fruitful approach to ensure stability in Syria.Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.Macron said the use of chemical weapons both in the region and other parts of the world "is unacceptable regardless of who uses it."Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed in the conflict mainly by regime airstrikes targeting opposition-held areas while millions more were displaced. During the conflict, Assad regime was accused many times by various international actors of targeting Syrian civilians with chemical weapons.The French president also called for a comprehensive investigation on Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder and urged for sanctions.Turkey an example for world on empathy, aid: UN envoyKhashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia last week claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.But Khashoggi's body has not been recovered, and Riyadh has yet to explain its shifting narrative on what transpired.On the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.Erdogan on Tuesday laid out his country’s initial findings in its investigation, saying Khashoggi's murder was "premeditated".
Syrian people must have a say on their future: Macron
Khashoggi case
On the sideline of the Syria summit, Erdogan also held bilateral meetings with his three counterparts where he discussed the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi along with other issues.
He provided “necessary information” to Putin, Macron and Merkel regarding the investigation of the murder of Washington Post columnist who went missing on Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
After weeks of denial, Saudi authorities admitted last week that the journalist was killed inside the consulate.
On the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources.
Saudi Authorities said they arrested 18 suspects in the case amid calls from Ankara that they should be extradited to Turkey for trial.
Erdogan said that Turkey was carrying out investigations urging Saudi Arabia to reveal the perpetrators of the attack.
The German chancellor vowed to take "necessary measures" regarding the case, while France's Macron called for sanctions as a reaction.