Turkish President Erdogan Will Meet with Putin in Russia

Oct. 16, 2019 (EIRNS)—Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters today that that a political settlement in Syria, including in light of a Constitutional Committee meeting, will be discussed during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s upcoming visit to Russia.

Lavrov told TASS today,

“Of course, it is primarily the situation in Syria, the tasks related to ensuring Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and an uncompromising fight against terrorist units remaining [in the country]. Of course, efforts aimed at facilitating the political process by convening the first meeting of the Constitutional Committee [will be discussed] parallel with that.”

On Oct. 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed Turkey’s operation in Syria during a telephone conversation, where both stressed “need to prevent conflicts between the Turkish army and the Syrian government armed forces,” stated the Kremlin. Putin invited the President Erdogan to visit Russia soon, and Erdogan accepted the invitation. Afterward, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the visit will take place on Oct. 22 in Sochi, reported TASS.

“Both Presidents reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. ... The Presidents of Russia and Turkey called for continuing the process of political settlement in Syria and expressed their resolve to promote the convocation of the UN-sponsored Constitutional Committee in Geneva in late October,”

the Kremlin said.

Putin considered it unacceptable for terrorists guarded by the Kurds to take advantage of the current situation in Syria, and stressed that the terrorists are already attempting to break free and flee from Syria to neighboring countries. He also said Syria should be freed from any foreign military presence.