Share

At G20 meeting, Turkey pushes plan for “safe zone” in Syria

He said facing current economic risks and challenges, maintaining a peaceful and stable worldwide environment was paramount.

Advertisement

They will also enhance global tax cooperation, and join efforts of anti-corruption to deprive all corrupt persons of any safe haven in G20 countries and beyond, he said. He acknowledged that a flurry of diplomacy at an economic summit and a 90-minute meeting earlier Monday with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, did not yield a breakthrough.

In China, Erdogan said he told all world leaders at the Antalya summit a year ago that “in Syria a safe zone could be set up. and we could solve the refugee crisis”. On opposing sides of many global issues, the US and Russian Federation are nonetheless trying to broker a deal to address the Syrian civil war and perhaps even partner militarily there.

A cessation of hostilities agreement brokered by Lavrov and Kerry in February unraveled within weeks, with Washington accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces of violating the agreement.

Obama shrugged off that incident, too, acknowledging that disagreements over press access often arise with China but contending that they were not emblematic of the US-China relationship. But U.S. was wary of enter a deal that would not be effective.

The G20 leaders agreed to advance anti-corruption campaign, including the establishment of a research centre in China on fugitive repatriation and asset recovery, state-run Xinhua quoted President Xi as saying. Putin has denied his government was involved, but cheered the release of the information.

Obama’s visit started on a high note, with the U.S and China consummating their unlikely partnership on climate change by announcing they were both entering the global emissions-cutting deal reached previous year in Paris.

A sit-down between Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also laid bare the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies’ diverging interests in Syria, with Erdogan pointedly challenging Obama on USA support for Kurds fighting the Islamic State group in Syria.

The tough talks were a reminder that the “reset” of Russia relations that Obama pioneered at the start of his administration is now but a memory, while Putin has also taken advantage of chaos in the Middle East to reinstate Russian influence with Syria and Iran.

Prime Minister May spent much of the summit discussing Britain’s European Union exit, which will force the country to define its trading relationships with Europe, the US and other partners.

As the president was greeted by his Chinese hosts, Obama’s aides and accompanying journalists clashed with a Chinese official as they tried to watch the ceremony.

Obama suggested Monday his planned meeting Duterte may not go forward.

Advertisement

Obama and Duterte were set to meeting in Laos this week, where Obama is traveling next to attend a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders.

Putin says'some alignment with US on Syria after Obama talks