Erdogan, Putin discuss Syria border corridor, gas hub by phone

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, in which he called for a 30-kilometre (19-mile) security corridor at the Turkish border with Syria, according to his office, Qazet.az reports.

The two leaders also discussed grain supplies and a potential regional gas hub in Turkey on Sunday, December 11, both countries said.

In a statement, Erdogan’s office reiterated the “importance and urgency” of creating a buffer zone in northern Syria in accordance with a 2019 agreement between Turkey and Russia, which is the main backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The call came three weeks after Turkey launched air and artillery strikes in Syria and Iraq following an explosion in Istanbul on November 13 that killed six people and wounded dozens of others. Ankara blamed the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian affiliate the People’s Protection Units, or YPG. Both groups, considered “terrorists” by Turkey, have denied involvement.

Under the 2019 deal signed with Turkey, Russia promised to establish a buffer zone between the Turkish border and YPG forces that would be controlled by the Syrian army and Russian military police. The agreement was not fully implemented although both Russian and Syrian government forces are present in the border region, as well as some United States troops.

Russia has closely cooperated with Turkey in northern Syria in the past and in recent months has pushed for reconciliation between Ankara and Damascus. In recent weeks, Turkey has threatened to follow up strikes on northern Syria with a ground offensive.