Nazarbayev discusses Syria talks with Turkey, Russia

ASTANA - Anadolu Agency

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Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed in a phone call with his Turkish and Russian counterparts the possibility of hosting Syria talks in Astana.      

During the conversation, Nazarbayev discussed with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vladimir Putin the regional and international developments, according to a statement issued from president’s press office late on Dec. 17.    
The statement said Erdoğan and Putin expressed their “willingness” to hold a meeting between the Syrian regime and opposition in Astana.      

It added Nazarbayev expressed his “readiness” to provide a platform for talks in Astana.      

On Dec. 16, Putin said that he and Erdoğan have reached an agreement to work on launching a new series of peace talks between the Syrian regime and the opposition.      

Putin told a press conference in Tokyo that the next step for “normalization” in the war-torn country was to reach an agreement on a nationwide cease-fire.

Putin added that if the regime and opposition agree to the proposal, “we will ask Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to back this process.”       

Speaking to TRT Haber channel on Dec. 16, Turkish Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said “this is not an alternative to the Geneva talks, but perhaps a process can be initiated in coordination with Geneva talks.”      
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu acknowledged in Ankara that such a meeting was discussed in a phone conversation between Erdoğan and Putin, but said it would not be a summit between the leaders as reported in some media.