MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed in a phone call the key aspects of the Syrian crisis settlement, taking into account the talks in Astana, the Kremlin press service said in a statement Friday.
"President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The sides continued discussing the key aspects of the settlement of the Syrian crisis, taking into account the fifth international meeting on Syria in Astana, being convened under the auspices of Russia, Turkey and Iran in early July," the statement said.
The July 4-5 international Astana talks are expected to address the formation of a national reconciliation committee in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier on Friday.
"During the talks it is planned to discuss the formation of a Syrian national reconciliation committee," Shoigu said at a hearing via teleconference.
The previous rounds of peace talks were held in the Kazakh capital of Astana on January 23-24, February 15-16, March 14-15 and on May 3-4. At the latest sessions, the three ceasefire guarantor states signed a memorandum on the establishment of four de-escalation zones in Syria, with the monitoring and management being carried out by the military personnel of these states.
