Take Note USA/Iran: Erdogan-Putin Teamwork Accolades



Idlib Humanitarian Crisis Delayed but Syria, Iran, Israel, US, Britain & France are Escalating Global Tensions in Syria w/ Missiles, Bombs and Downed Il-20

Recep Erdogan and Vladimir Putin in Sochi, a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Black Sea coast near the border between Georgia/Abkhazia and Russia

15-20 Kilometers wide Demilitarized Zone around Idlib by Oct. 15 Thanks to these two men.

Recep Erdogan and Vladimir Putin in Sochi, a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Black Sea coast near the border between Georgia/Abkhazia and Russia. Photo: Reuters

by Micheal John | micheal.john@fpmag.net | Editor

 

Bilateral Summit Lasting Under Two Hours Saves Idlib For Now

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan whose determination to bring peace to Idlib has been unequalled, and Russian President Vladimir Putin who has shown great restraint when bargaining for stand-downs in the Syrian Civil War, left Iran and Syria out of the equation and worked with Erdogan’s proposal for an end to hostilities in Idlib, Syria where three million civilians fear for their lives.

Putin and Erdogan have Bravely Taken on Difficult Task

Pulling this off may require Olympian effort. Convincing rebel factions that they must remove all their tanks, ‘technicals’, rocket launchers, chemical weapons, guns and mortars from the region will not be easy and likely the effort will come with armed skirmishes and aerial bombing that may again kill mostly civilians if the past is any indication.

The United States has said that it will stay in Syria after poignant threats from Iran–to get out or else Iran will force the US out–which operates numerous militias plus regular forces in Syria. Last week’s US force buildup includes Qatar air base increases of bombers and Mediterranean naval assets augmentation. Today some 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles are pointed at Syria.

In an area where the whodunnit of explosions is nearly impossible to sort out, a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft with 14 non-combat-arms soldiers aboard was shot down hours ago, probably by Syrian SAMs.

The French frigate Auvergne has been accused of launching a missile attack against a chemical industry operation in Latakia. At the same time Israeli aircraft were launching an attack which triggered the SAM systems.

Earlier on Monday Messrs. Putin and Erdogan said they had agreed to create a demilitarized buffer zone in Syria’s Idlib province of Syria to separate Syrian regime troops from opposition forces, with Turkish and Russian troops patrolling the zone to ensure it is respected.

Putin, speaking after meeting with Erdoğan at his presidential home in the coastal city of Sochi, said they agreed all heavy weapons be withdrawn by October 10th from the zone, and that “radically-minded” groups, including the al-Nusra front, must pull out of the zone.

Ankara and Moscow signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) calling for the stabilization of the situation in Idlib’s de-escalation zone, in which acts of aggression are prohibited.

Idlib Humanitarian Crisis May Be Averted but intrusive Interveners are Escalating Global Tensions in Syria

Read: Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic

I believe that with this memorandum, we have prevented a great humanitarian crisis in Idlib,” Erdoğan said. Russia and Turkey will conduct joint patrols along the zone’s perimeter, adding Turkey will strengthen observation points in the Idlib de-escalation zone, declared Erdoğan.

The opposition will remain in areas in which they are already present. We will ensure that radical groups will not operate in the area,” he said.

Russia and Turkey reaffirmed their determination to fight terrorism in Syria in all its forms”, said Vladimir Putin.

The practical implementation of the planned steps will give an additional impetus to the process of a political settlement of the Syrian conflict, will accelerate work on the Geneva platform and will contribute to the return of peace to the Syrian land,” said Putin .