MOSCOW-Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan “reaffirmed commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria” in a phone call on Tuesday, the Kremlin press service said, RT reported.
They continued their “dialogue on the situation in Syria” and emphasized the importance of finding a political solution based on achievements made within the Astana process, according to the statement.
Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency said that Erdogan and Putin emphasized the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, stressing that all sides should act constructively for the progress of peace process within the UN framework.
The Astana peace process has significantly helped reduce fighting in Syria through the formation of four de-escalation zones in the country, setting the stage for the Syrian sides to focus on negotiations on the political future of their homeland.
The negotiations in Astana have been going on along with another series of talks held in Geneva, Switzerland, and brokered by the UN. Previous rounds of negotiations under the auspices of the world body over the past five years have failed to achieve tangible results.
H.M