German Chancellor Angela Merkel
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.
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
Free elections in Syria
Merkel 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, 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