France's FM Jean-Yves Le Drian
An agreement reached last month in Istanbul on the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib prevented a worse outcome there, France’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.
In a press conference in Paris with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Jean-Yves Le Drian said: "Now we want to strengthen the cease-fire agreement and move to a political process in Syria."
Le Drian said there is close cooperation between Russia and France and called for the continuation of dialogue even though they have different views on some issues.
After agreeing to set up a demilitarized zone in Idlib at a Sept. 17 meeting in Sochi between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, on Oct. 27 Turkey hosted a four-nation summit on Syria between Turkey, Russia, Germany, and France.
In a joint statement, the leaders stressed the importance of maintaining the fight against terrorism, fully implementing effective measures, and a permanent cease-fire that each party would comply with.
Turkey will not allow a fait accompli in Syria but will use its right to self-defense, Turkey’s national security establishment warned on Tuesday.In a statement after meeting in the capital Ankara, the National Security Council said that Turkey has always supported Syria's territorial integrity and political unity and stressed that the biggest threat to a political solution in Syria is the terrorist presence east of the Euphrates River.The statement also "strongly emphasized" that Turkey would not be indifferent to the terrorist PKK/PYD-YPG changing the demographic makeup in areas bordering Turkey through persecution and forced migration.4,000 Syrians return terror-free hometown in two weeksIt also stressed that Turkey will continue its determined fight against terrorism to protect its people from threats arising from terror groups along its borders with Syria and Iraq.The statement said that "some countries” failing to list terrorist groups such as the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FEÖO) and the PKK/KCK's Syrian branch the PYD/YPG as terror groups hurts counter-terrorism efforts.Turkey has long objected to U.S. support for the terrorist PYD/PYG, and has faulted both the U.S. and Europe for failing to do enough to fight FETÖ, the group behind a 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.Erdoğan urges Russia, Ukraine to resolve dispute through dialogueOn last month’s quadrilateral summit in Istanbul, the council stressed that the issues agreed on at the summit would contribute to peace in Syria and the region, as well as provide a permanent cease-fire by demilitarization in the northwestern province of Idlib.The summit held in late October was attended by the leaders of Turkey, Russia, France and Germany, who expressed their determination to end the bloodshed in war-torn Syria.“To find a lasting solution in Syria, a constitutional committee, working under United Nations observation, should be established as soon as possible,” the declaration stressed.Iraq's Sadr calls on prime minister to finalize cabinetIraq and CyprusThe National Security Council affirmed that Turkey would continue cooperation with the new Iraqi government in all areas, particularly security issues.The council also underlined that the Turkish Armed Forces would continue counter-terrorism operations against the terrorist PKK/KCK in Iraq.The council “reaffirmed that no development contrary to the rights and interests of Turkey or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus would be allowed.”It also warned that unilateral moves in the region would not contribute to world peace, and urged consideration of Turkey’s determination based on international law.Turkish jets 'neutralize' 6 PKK terrorists in N. IraqIn early 2018, the Greek Cypriot administration unilaterally launched exploratory drilling activities for gas in the Eastern Mediterranean despite strong opposition from Turkish Cypriots, who argue that the island's natural resources should be exploited jointly to ensure equal rights for both parties.Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.
'Turkey will not allow fait accompli in Syria'
Ukraine and Russia
About Sunday’s confrontation between Russia and Ukraine at the entrance to the Sea of Azov, Le Drian said an arms buildup in the region would “increase tension and lead to new problems like the one on Sunday."
Calling for restraint, Le Drian voiced hope for more Russian efforts on the issue.
Lavrov, for his part, said the tension was intentionally fueled and that no mediation between Russia and Ukraine is needed.
On Sunday, three Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea moved to enter the Kerch Strait to reach the Sea of Azov.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday to resolve their dispute in the Black Sea through dialogue. “We’re living in a time where the world is in the clutches of serious threats. We’d be pleased to see Russia and Ukraine side by side as opposed to being on opposite sides,” Erdoğan said while addressing his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s parliamentarian bloc."We want Black Sea to become a peace sea," he added.Erdoğan expressed Turkey's desire to see Russia and Ukraine cooperate amid serious threats in the world.Video: Erdoğan urges Russia, Ukraine to solve dispute through dialogue and stand ‘side by side’Russia on Sunday seized three Ukrainian naval ships off Russian-held Crimea in the Sea of Azov.The Ukrainian Navy accused Russia of opening fire on its warships, adding that its crew members were wounded and its vessels seized by Russia.Russia and Ukraine have been at loggerheads since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea after a controversial referendum.Turkey, as well as the UN General Assembly, say the annexation was illegal.'Russia must respect international law again'Operation Euphrates Shield “burst Daesh bubble” Regarding developments in Syria, Erdoğan said Turkey was the country that “burst the Daesh bubble” through Operation Euphrates Shield. “Everyone seeks their interest in Syria under the pretext of anti-Daesh fight, but we took all the risks, entered and struck them down.”"There is no Daesh in Syria but some small gangs trained, equipped to create chaos in the country and the region under the disguise of Daesh," he continued, vowing to fully eliminate remnants of the terror group "in a couple of months."In the wide-ranging Euphrates Shield Operation launched in August 2016, the Free Syrian Army -- with the support of the Turkish army -- had cleared 2,000 square kilometers (772 square miles) of land along the Turkish-Syrian border of terrorist elements.Turkey arrests 23 PKK terrorists plotting Istanbul attackErdoğan said that Turkey is the one that started to overthrow Deash terror group, "which is one of the greatest concerns of Islam.""While everyone sought their interest on Syrian soil using Daesh as an excuse, we took all the risks, entered the field and struck this terror group down hard," said the president.There is no Daesh in Syria but some small gangs are trained and equipped to create chaos in the country and region under disguise of Daesh, Erdoğan said.More than 300 people have lost their lives in Daesh terror attacks in Turkey, where the terror group targets civilians in suicide bomb, rocket and gun attacks.Video: Erdoğan vows to eliminate remnants of Daesh in a few monthsTurkey starts shallow water drilling in Med. Sea"Turkey to use its rights on Aegean, Cyprus issues"Turkey is determined to use its rights based on international law on disputes over Aegean Sea and Cyprus, Erdoğan said.Erdoğan said on the Mediterranean issue that reckless behavior of Greece and Southern Cyprus, with backing of some European states, would threaten them foremost."Turkey is determined to use its rights arising from international law in full on disputes over Aegean Sea, Cyprus issue," said Erdoğan.He added: "Turkey will never compromise its interests, neither in Eastern Mediterranean nor in other regions."Galeri: Turkey starts shallow water drilling in Med. SeaHe said Ankara will not allow irrelevant countries to gain economic and political dominance in eastern Mediterranean.On Monday, Turkey started preparatory works for shallow water drilling in the Mediterranean sea off the coast of Mersin in southern Turkey.On Oct. 30, Turkey's first drilling vessel, Fatih, conducted its first deep drilling in offshore Antalya on the county's southern Mediterranean coast.Turkish President Erdoğan announces twenty mayoral candidatesAK Party mayoral candidates announcedErdoğan also announced 20 more mayoral candidates for local elections at his party's parliamentary group meeting.Among AK Party's nominees are Mehmet Özhaseki, the ruling party's deputy chairman, and former economy minister Nihat Zeybekçi, who will run for the Ankara and İzmir mayorships rsepectively in the upcoming March 2019 local elections.The candidates for Afyonkarahisar, Balıkesir, Bingöl, Çanakkale, Cankiri, Çorum, Eskişehir, Hatay, Karaman, Konya, Mardin, Mus, Sakarya, Sivas, Tokat, Trabzon, Usak and Yozgat provinces were also announced.The candidate for Istanbul was not revealed on Tuesday; however, Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım is the top contender for the spot.On Saturday, Erdoğan announced the list of 40 mayoral candidates including 14 metropolitan municipalities and 26 provincial municipalities.The local elections in Turkey are scheduled on March 31, 2019.
Erdoğan urges Russia, Ukraine to resolve dispute through dialogue
The incident ended up with several Ukrainian servicemen killed or injured -- the Ukrainians say the former and the Russians, the latter -- and the vessels seized by the Russian military.
Russia and Ukraine have been at loggerheads since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea after a controversial referendum.
Turkey, as well as the UN General Assembly, view the annexation as illegal.
Ukraine has also blamed Russia for separatist violence in eastern Ukraine, near the border with Russia.