U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton
Russia and the U.S. agreed to expand the coordination in Syria on all issues, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a news conference following his two-day visit to Moscow, he said Syria was a key topic of discussion.
Commenting on organizing a demilitarized zone in the Syrian province of Idlib, he said a memorandum between Russia and Turkey is being implemented.
"As for Idlib, we discussed this topic. I repeated what President Trump said about the need to avoid a humanitarian disaster there.
Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will meet on the sidelines of the upcoming Istanbul Summit on Syria, according to a top Russian diplomat on Tuesday.The two leaders will hold a separate bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Oct. 27 summit, Andrey Buravov, deputy director of the European Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry said at the 3rd international conference on "Russia and Turkey: Strengthening the Multi-faceted Partnership" in Moscow."Another multilateral event with the participation of the presidents of our countries is being prepared in the near future, and a separate bilateral meeting is also planned in this context", he added.Erdoğan: Evidence shows Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murderedOn Oct.27, Putin, Erdoğan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron will exchange views on Syrian issues, including the political settlement process and further steps aimed at strengthening security and stability, creating conditions for the return of refugees and rebuilding the country's socioeconomic infrastructure.According to Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, this weekend's summit is to focus on “the Syrian conflict with all its aspects, focusing on the situation on the ground, the Idlib agreement and the political process, and to harmonize joint efforts for finding a lasting solution to the conflict.”
Putin, Erdoğan to hold bilateral meeting in Istanbul
"The agreement between Russia, Syria and Turkey is being implemented, although many unresolved issues remain. Idlib is one of the issues in the Syrian conflict," he said.
Following a meeting in Sochi last month between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the two countries agreed to establish the Idlib demilitarized zone.
Ankara and Moscow also signed a memorandum of understanding calling for the “stabilization” of Idlib's de-escalation zone, in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on Nov. 11 in Paris, the Russian presidential aide said.Yury Ushakov said the agreement was reached during the visit of U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton to Moscow in late October.The two presidents will take part in the events dedicated to the centenary of the end of World War I, Ushakov told journalist at a news conference, following Putin's meeting with Bolton.The presidential summit will take place after the celebrations, it will be a "full-time" meeting, and its duration depends on the two leaders, Ushakov said.The delegations from both sides will not be very big, but "all the key figures are expected to take part in the talks", he said.During his two-day visit to Moscow, John Bolton held meetings with Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, head of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.At a news conference, Bolton characterized his Moscow visit as "productive".
Putin, Trump to meet in Paris on Nov. 11
Under the deal, opposition groups in Idlib will remain in areas in which they are already present, while Russia and Turkey will conduct joint patrols in the area with a view to preventing renewed fighting.
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.