President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel within the Berlin Conference on Libyan peace in Berlin, Germany on 19 January 2020. [Turkish Presidency / Murat Cetinmuhurdar – Anadolu Agency]
Sat 22 February 2020:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a proposal by French president, Emmanuel Macron, and German chancellor, Angela Merkel, to organise a four-way summit (Turkish, Russian, German and French) on Syria in Istanbul, on 5 March.
This came in statements he made to reporters after performing Friday’s prayers in Istanbul.
“Macron and Merkel suggested organising a four-way summit in Istanbul on the 5th of March,” Erdogan confirmed.
The Turkish president indicated that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, has not responded to the summit proposal yet.
He pointed out that Merkel and Macron had asked Putin to implement a strict ceasefire in Idlib, adding: “I cannot say that the expected answer from Moscow has been received so far.”
Erdogan confirmed that he will call Putin at 6pm this evening to discuss all developments in Idlib, north-western Syria.
He revealed the neutralisation of about 150 members of the Syrian regime forces, according to the latest information received.
Erdogan also announced the destruction of 12 tanks, three armoured vehicles, 14 cannons and two vehicles loaded with Doshka machine guns in Idlib.
Regarding the Libyan file, Erdogan clarified that retired field marshal, Khalifa Haftar: “Cannot be part of any discussion with us. He is a mercenary and his status is illegitimate and illegal.”
-middleeastmonitor
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