PRESS RELEASE

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Putin, Rouhani, and Erdogan Plan To Meet in Sochi To Discuss Middle East Developments

Nov. 16, 2017 (EIRNS)—Russian President Vladimir Putin will host the Iranian and Turkish Presidents Hassan Rouhani and Recep Tayyip Erdogan next week for summit talks on the ongoing conflict in Syria, and other regional developments. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported today that the three Presidents will meet at Putin’s official residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi for talks on Nov. 22.

According to the Astana agreement brokered in September, Russia, Turkey, and Iran are the guarantor countries for the ongoing cease-fire in Syria, Arab News daily reported. The establishment of de-escalation zones and cease-fire monitoring missions have resulted in decreased fighting in northern Syria. Mete Sohtaoglu, an independent researcher on the Middle East, was quoted by Arab News as saying

"the tripartite Nov. 22 meeting is also likely to result in the disarming of rebel-held Idlib province in northern Syria via joint diplomatic and military initiatives by Moscow and Ankara."