Erdogan, Trump discuss ways to end crisis in Idlib

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday discussed with US counterpart Donald Trump ways to end the crisis in Idlib, Syria´s last major rebel bastion, and condemned Damascus´ attacks there, the Turkish presidency said.

“Stressing that the regime´s most recent attacks are unacceptable, the president and Trump exchanged views on ways to end the crisis in Idlib without further delay,” the presidency said in a statement after the two leaders spoke on the phone.

The situation in Syria has become more tense as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad intensifies his assault on Idlib backed by Moscow air power.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed while 800,000 Syrians have been forced to leave their homes to flee the offensive since December, according to the United Nations.

Turkey has 12 observation posts in Idlib as part of the 2018 Ankara-Moscow agreement made in southern city of Sochi.

Erdogan threatened to attack Damascus if regime forces did not go back behind the borders of the Sochi deal by the end of February after 14 Turks were killed by Syrian regime shelling in Idlib this month.

Relations between Turkey and the United States have been strained over multiple issues including Syria but it appears the Americans are trying to capitalise on the tensions over Idlib between Ankara and Moscow.

US special envoy for Syria James Jeffrey came to Ankara earlier this week, and voiced Washington´s support for Ankara´s “legitimate” interests in Syria and in Idlib.

But Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu earlier on Saturday insisted that Turkey-Russia relations “shouldn´t” be affected by differences of opinion over Syria.

“The situation in Idlib will not affect the S-400 agreement,” Cavusoglu said, referring to Ankara´s purchase of the Russian air defence system criticised by Washington.

The US has threatened to hit Turkey with sanctions over the S-400 deal.

The Turkish presidency also said Erdogan and Trump discussed the situation in war-torn Libya and “underlined the importance of restoring peace and stability.”

And the leaders agreed to restart negotiations to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion per year, it added.

Turkey says differences over Syria ‘shouldn’t affect’ ties with Russia: Turkey on Saturday said differences over Syria “shouldn´t affect” relations with Russia, local media reported, after both countries´ foreign ministers met in Munich.

“The differences of opinion in Syria shouldn´t affect Turkey-Russia relations. The situation in Idlib will not affect the S-400 agreement,” broadcaster NTV reported Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as saying.

Turkey purchased the Russian S-400 air defence system despite opposition from NATO ally the United States and the threat of sanctions.

Rebel backer Turkey and Damascus ally Russia have worked closely on Syria although they are on opposite sides of the war.

Cavusoglu met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference and, in a tweet, described their meeting as “positive”.

Cavusoglu said that a Turkish delegation would go to Moscow on Monday. “(We) agreed on making an evaluation after these meetings,” the Turkish minister added.

A Russian delegation including military and intelligence officials had already held talks in Ankara last weekend, but no concrete agreement emerged.

The ministers talks was the highest-level meeting between Turkish and Russian officials since tensions over Idlib began after Damascus killed 14 Turks this month.

The Turkish military has 12 observation posts in the northwestern province of Idlib, the last rebel-held bastion in Syria.

The posts were set up after a 2018 Russia-Turkey deal agreed in Sochi to prevent a regime offensive but in recent months, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has pressed an assault supported by Russian air strikes. After the Turks´ deaths, Ankara and Moscow became embroiled in a war of words over who had not fulfilled the conditions of the Sochi deal.

Earlier on Saturday, Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay insisted Ankara had “fulfilled its responsibilities” after Russia accused Turkey of failing to “neutralise terrorists” in Idlib.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously accused Russia of committing “massacres” in its support of the Syrian government. The United Nations says 800,000 people have fled the region since December.