Four-nation Syria summit in Istanbul

Leaders of Turkey, France, Germany and Russia to discuss lasting solution

Asummit between the leaders of Turkey, France, Germany and Russia will be held in Istanbul this month to discuss the conflict in Syria and efforts for a lasting solution to the war there, a Turkish official said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Ebrahim Kalin, in a written statement said the summit will take place on October 27.

Russia and Turkey reached an agreement last month to set up a demilitarised zone around the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib preventing a regime offensive on the last rebel stronghold in the country.

Idlib has been calm ever since although some militant groups did not meet an October 15 deadline to evacuate the demilitarised zone that surrounds Idlib province.

Many feared that a regime offensive in Idlib would trigger a new refugee crisis as the region is home to some three million people, many of them displaced by war from other parts of Syria. Russia is a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s regime while Turkey has been helping insurgents trying to remove him from power.

Kalin said all aspects of the Syrian conflict are expected to be discussed, including the situation on the ground, the Idlib agreement and efforts for a lasting solution to the conflict.German government spokeswoman Martina Fietz announced that Chancellor Angela Merkel will be attending the summit.

Humanitarian crisis

A statement by France’s Elysee Palace said Paris intends primarily to promote the maintenance of the ceasefire in Idlib to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe and a new mass wave of refugees, and the effective launch of an inclusive political process in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The Kremlin confirmed Vladimir Putin’s participation in the summit and said it would focus on political settlement and conditions for the return of Syrian refugees.