Situation in Syria's Euphrates region remains very critical - Putin
ANKARA. Sept 16 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed "one on one" the situation in Idlib and the Euphrates region in Syria.
"We have complicated feelings about the situation in the Euphrates area. The situation there continues to remain very tense. We understand how important this is both for preserving the territorial integrity of Syria and for all of its neighbors, including Turkey, for their legitimate rights to ensure their own security," Putin said during talks with Erdogan in an enlarged format, a transcript of which was published on the Kremlin's website.
The two leaders held a detailed, one-on-one discussion of the Syrian crisis and possible solutions, touching "on the Idlib [de-escalation] area, the situation in the Euphrates region, on the east bank of Euphrates [river]," Putin said.
"Turkey and Erdogan are leading the effort to agree on the list of the people (candidates) who would sit on the [Syrian] constitutional committee," Putin said.
This process was "yet another stage of our joint work. I mean, until now we have been seeking a positive result, and in my view a positive result can be achieved here as well," Putin said.