- Title: Russia's Putin urges Turkey, Iran to help promote dialog in Syria
- Date: 1st July 2020
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JULY 1, 2020) (RUSSIAN POOL) (SPLIT SCREEN) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND IRANIAN PRESIDENT HASSAN ROUHANI DURING ONLINE JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE ROUHANI SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "(STARTS ON SPLIT SCREEN) Of course, not every problem has been solved, much yet remains to be done. But the actions taken are paying off. For instance, after the ceasefire was declared, the situation in the de-escalation zone became much more (CONTINUES IN SHOT) stable. (CONTINUES ON SPLIT SCREEN) The Syrian conflict, the fight against terrorists has been going on for many years. Naturally, it impacts the country's economy." PUTIN SPEAKING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "We have the task of working together to eliminate the terrorist groups, moving forward the political process which the Syrians themselves are leading and (CONTINUES IN WIDE SHOT) the UN coordinates. Russia supports this document which demonstrates the determination of Russia, Iran and Turkey (CONTINUES IN SHOT) as the guarantors of the Astana process. To do incremental collaborative work to establish long-lasting peace and stability in Syria." (SPLIT SCREEN) PUTIN AND TURKEY'S PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN DURING ONLINE JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE ERDOGAN SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRAN'S PRESIDENT, HASSAN ROUHANI, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "The American regime continues its sanctions policy and imposes its unilateral sanctions on the Syrian people in order to pressure them and achieve its illegal goals." PUTIN LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRAN'S PRESIDENT, HASSAN ROUHANI, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "This move by America is a violation of international humanitarian law." PUTIN LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) IRAN'S PRESIDENT, HASSAN ROUHANI, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns any sanctions against sovereign nations and reaffirms its continued support of the people of Syria." VARIOUS OF PUTIN, ERDOGAN, ROUHANI DURING JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 15th July 2020 13:45
- Keywords: Erdogan Iran Middle East Putin Rouhani Russia Syria dialog Syria security Turkey
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001CKZ9WLJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian President Vladimir Putin told his counterparts from Turkey and Iran on Wednesday that there was a need for peaceful dialog between the opposing forces in Syria's civil war.
Putin also told Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan and Iran's Hassan Rouhani in a televised video conference that hot spots of terrorism still remain in Syria's Idlib and other regions.
"An inclusive inter-Syrian dialog should be actively promoted within the framework of the constitutional committee in Geneva. I propose to support this process, to help the participants to meet and start a direct dialog," Putin said.
In Syria's nine-year-old war, Russia and Iran are the main foreign supporters of President Bashar al-Assad's forces, while Turkey backs opposition fighters. Under a diplomatic process dating back to 2017, they agreed to work to reduce fighting.
In a joint statement released by the Kremlin, Russia, Turkey and Iran "expressed the conviction" that Syria's war had no military solution and has to be settled only via a political process. They also welcomed a meeting of the Syrian constitutional committee in August.
Apart from the Syrian issue, the three countries agreed to promote their economic cooperation, the document said.
After worsening violence displaced nearly a million people, Turkey and Russia agreed in March to halt hostilities in northwest Syria's Idlib region. This month military jets bombed villages in the rebel-held area.
Erdogan also told the video conference that the priority for Syria is a lasting solution to the conflict, "achievement of calm in the field and the protection of Syria's political unity and territorial integrity."
Rouhani called the presence of U.S. forces in Syria "illegitimate," urging them to quit immediately. He also pledged Iran's support for the "legal government" of Bashar Al-Assad.
After saying last year all U.S. troops would leave northern Syria, Washington has left some behind for at some bases but rolled back most of their operations.
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