Vladimir Putin and Recep Erdogan pose before their meeting in Ankara
On January 31, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin hailed the decision taken within the framework of the Sochi conference to form a Syrian constitutional committee during a phone call, according to the Turkish Anadolu Agency. The source added that Erdogan called the decision “an important achievement”, but acknowledged that there were some problems during the conference.
The Syrian opposition and the Damascus government agreed during the final session of the Sochi conference on January 30 to form a Syrian constitutional committee. It will include members from the two sides and representatives of Russia, Turkey and Iran.
Reuters reported that the two presidents also agreed to step up efforts to establish observation posts in the northern Syrian governorate of Idlib.
On January 29 and 30, Turkey attempted to establish a new observation post in the town of al-Eis in the eastern Idlib countryside. However, the Turkish attempt failed when a booby-trapped car targeted a Turkish Army unit north of al-Eis killing one person and injuring two others. This incident forced the unit to withdraw.
Anadolu revealed that Erdogan briefed Putin on the ongoing Turkish Army military operation against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the Afrin area, which was launched on January 20. The news agency didn’t provide details regarding the information that was shared with the Russian president.
The phone call echoes the strengthing Russian-Turkish coordination in Syria and proves that the relationship between the two countries were not affected by the latest development in northern Syria as some pro-opposition sources had suggested.
