Putin, Erdogan agree to mull meeting on Idlib in near future
Updated 21:55, 28-Feb-2020
CGTN

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed Friday to examine the possibility of meeting in the near future to discuss the situation in Syria's Idlib, the Kremlin has said in a statement.

The two leaders had a phone conversation at the initiative of the Turkish side, exchanging their views on the situation in Syria, where 33 Turkish soldiers have been killed in airstrikes in Syria's Idlib region the previous day.

They also expressed serious concerns over the escalation of tensions in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, the statement said.

Both sides emphasized the need for additional measures to normalize the situation in northwestern Syria. They also agreed to step up relevant inter-agency consultations, and work out the possibility of holding a top-level meeting in the near future, it added.

The two sides also emphasized the importance of improving coordination through the ministries of defense of the two countries. 

Erdogan will also speak with leaders of the United States, France, Germany and Britain, according to Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun.

An internally displaced Syrian family sit together outside a tent near the wall in Atmah IDP camp, located near the border with Turkey, Syria, February 26, 2020. /Reuters

An internally displaced Syrian family sit together outside a tent near the wall in Atmah IDP camp, located near the border with Turkey, Syria, February 26, 2020. /Reuters

NATO head, Jens Stoltenberg, urged Russia and Syria on Friday to halt their Idlib offensive and said the military alliance stood in solidarity with member state Turkey. 

"Allies condemn the continued and indiscriminate air strikes by the Syrian regime and Russia in Idlib," Stoltenberg told journalists after an emergency meeting of NATO ambassadors in Brussels, which was demanded by Turkey. 

"I call on them to stop their offensive, to respect international law and to back UN efforts for a peaceful solution," Stoltenberg added, calling for a return to a 2018 ceasefire to provide humanitarian aid to Idlib.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to his ruling party members in Ankara, Turkey, February 27, 2020. /AP

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to his ruling party members in Ankara, Turkey, February 27, 2020. /AP

Russia sends warships to Syria

Earlier on Friday, Russia said it was sending two warships armed with cruise missiles to waters off the Syrian coast.

On Thursday "Turkish soldiers who were in the battle formations of terrorist groups came under the fire of Syrian troops," the defense ministry said in a statement.

It said Turkish forces had not communicated their presence in the area, "where they should not have been."

"The Russian air force is not used in this zone," the ministry added.

The killing of the Turkish soldiers on Thursday and the wounding of 32 others, announced by the governor in Turkey's Hatay province bordering Syria, raised the Turkish military death toll in the region to 54 this month.

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No-fly zone

Turkey on Friday called on the international community to establish a no-fly zone over the northwestern province of Idlib to protect civilians from Syrian's bombardment. 

"The international community must act to protect civilians and impose a no-fly-zone," Altun said on Twitter.

Turkey has sent thousands of troops and heavy military hardware into Syria and Erdogan has warned that Turkey will launch a full-scale offensive to repel Syrian forces unless they pull back from Turkish observation posts in the region.

Though trying to coordinate their efforts on Syria, Russia backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey backs rebel forces opposing Assad.

Responding to Thursday's killings, a senior Turkish official said on Friday that Ankara would no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe. Turkey blamed an air strike by Syrian government forces for the deaths.

(With input from agencies)