His 90-minute meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) summit was candid, blunt and business-like, covering issues such as Syria and Ukraine, US President Barack Obama said at a press conference on Monday in Hangzhou, capital of East China’s Zhejiang Province.
Advertisement
On the other hand, Putin told reporters at a separate news conference that talks with the USA and Turkey were continuing concerning Syria, adding that negotiators had made a step forward.
The talks culminated a several weeks of searching for a cease-fire between Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government and moderate rebels that would expand access for hundreds of thousands of civilians caught in the crossfire.
In China, Erdogan said he told all world leaders at the Antalya summit past year that “in Syria a safe zone could be set up. and we could solve the refugee crisis”.
“A no-fly zone could be set up there, and that was my suggestion to both Obama and Putin”.
“I believe that we are on the right track and could, at least for some period of time, agree to carry out mutual energetic attempts to make the situation in Syria more healthy”, he said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday he proposed, to the USA and Russian Federation, the setting up of a no-fly zone in northern Syria, after Ankara-backed fighters pushed the Islamic State group from the border area.
Lack of trust between the USA and Russian Federation is getting in the way of possible cooperation to stop the violence in Syria, President Obama said Sunday, adding that he nevertheless plans to keep trying against the odds.
“I think we managed to get to an understanding of one another and to understanding of the problems that we are facing”, he added.
Advertisement
The Turkish leader also commented on the escalated fighting in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, saying efforts were underway to establish a ceasefire in the area before Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) which is expected to start on September 11.
