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The UN World Food Program (WFP) on Friday welcomed the upcoming quadrilateral Syria summit to be held in Istanbul on Saturday, expressing hopes that “civilians will be the priority of the discussion.”
The meeting to be hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will see the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
In a news conference in Geneva, Herve Verhoosel, senior spokesperson of the WFP said: “WFP hopes that civilians will be the priority of the discussion, re-emphasizing that rebuilding communities and solving the hunger crisis in Syria is hinged on ending the conflict that continuously fosters it.”
The four-way Syria summit to be held in Istanbul on Saturday is set to focus on finding new ways to reach a political solution in Syria, Turkey's presidential aide said on Friday. Speaking at an international congress in southeastern Diyarbakir province, Ibrahim Kalın said: “Our priority at this summit will be focusing on what kind of new ways could be found based on not military, but a political solution in Syria.”The meeting to be hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will see the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron.Erdoğan will address preserving the Idlib deal and preventing violations by the Bashar al-Assad regime in particular at the summit, Kalın said. Syria regime violating Turkey-Russia Idlib deal: White HelmetsTurkey expects the summit in Istanbul to help form a constitutional committee, the presidential aide added. 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.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.Turkish envoy hails Canada for hosting Syrian refugees
Summit on Syria to explore ways for political solution
Verhoosel recalled that more than seven years of war has pushed millions of Syrians into hunger and poverty.
“In September, WFP was able to reach over 3 million Syrians with food aid. Continued food assistance for millions of families is vital for stability and security in Syria,” he said.
“For those who are beginning to return to their country and communities, developing active markets, jobs and support is essential.”
The spokesperson stated that WFP needs reliable and predictable funding, saying: “$136 million is needed from now until March 2019.”
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.
The rest of the world owes Turkey a “debt”, for hosting Syrian refugees, the Canadian ambassador to Turkey said on Friday.Speaking to reporters in Turkey’s southern Hatay province, Chris Cooter praised Turkey for its “admirable” acceptance of 3.5 million Syrian refugees.“You’re integrating people, you’re giving them a chance, you’re giving them hope,” he said.Turkey has accepted a “huge burden”, according to Cooter, who added that Canada shares the country's approach “towards people who have lost everything”.Having accepted 50,000-60,000 Syrian refugees so far, he added that they “continue to be very welcome in Canada”.Syria regime violating Turkey-Russia Idlib deal: White HelmetsTurkish envoy hails Canada for hosting Syrian refugees Turkey hosts 3.5 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world. The country has spent more than $32 billion from its own national resources for helping and sheltering refugees since the beginning of the Syrian civil war.Cooter expressed hope that the cooperation of 50-60 years between the two NATO allies could continue in the future. He added that the trade volume exceeding $3 billion would increase with ongoing efforts to organize meetings between Canadian and Turkish businesspeople.
World owes Turkey for hosting refugees: Canadian envoy