US: Syrian no-fly zone on table in Putin-Trump’s G20 talks

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – US President Donald Trump is prepared to discuss joint efforts with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to stabilize the situation in Syria at this week’s G20 Summit, possibly even considering no-fly zones in the war-torn country.

“The United States is prepared to explore the possibility of establishing with Russia joint mechanisms for ensuring stability, including no-fly zones, on the ground ceasefire observers, and coordinated delivery of humanitarian assistance,” US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement.

Tillerson believes military cooperation will pave the way for a political solution.

“First, parties in Syria must ensure stability on the ground. If we do not achieve stability in Syria, our progress in defeating ISIS may be undone. Secondly, parties must work through a political process to achieve a settlement that charts a way forward for the Syrian people. Lastly, Russia has a special responsibility to assist in these efforts,” Tillerson concluded.

"The upcoming meeting of the G20 in Hamburg is an opportunity to discuss key issues on the global agenda," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an article with the German Handlesblatt newspaper.

A release from Putin's office regarding the summit stated that "discussion of the issue of combating terrorism" would be discussed on Friday.

Tillerson praised the cooperation between the US and Russian militaries in establishing de-confliction zones in Syria, reiterating that the fight in Syria should stay focused on defeating ISIS.

“The United States and Russia have already achieved progress in establishing de-confliction zones in Syria that have prevented mutual collateral damage,” he said. “This cooperation over de-confliction zones process is evidence that our two nations are capable of further progress.

“As organized military efforts to defeat ISIS on the ground in Syria continue, the United States and our partners in the Coalition to defeat ISIS are committed to ensuring that civilians from recently liberated areas can begin the process of returning home and rebuilding their lives,” Tillerson added.

The six-year-long conflict in Syria has waged with Russia backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The US has maintained that regime change is needed with its primary focus being the defeat of ISIS, an extremist group that took control of much of the country in 2014.

Concurrent intra-Syrian peace talks have taken place. The UN-brokered talks in Geneva have aimed to find a political solution, while talks in Astana have been brokered by Turkey, Iran and Russia and been more military in nature.

Leaders from 20 of the world’s major economies (19 countries and the European Union) will meet for the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on Friday and Saturday.

Collectively they “account for more than four-fifths of gross world product and three-quarters of global trade, and are home to almost two-thirds of the world's population," according to the G-20 website.

US: Syrian no-fly zone on table in Putin-Trump’s G20 talks

Iraqi PM's upcoming Washington visit reflects 'new Iraq': Spokesperson

Iran tripled drone production during war with US: Defence minister

Return of Christian families, investors to Iraq national priority: PM

Related Articles

Iraqi PM's upcoming Washington visit reflects 'new Iraq': Spokesperson

Iran tripled drone production during war with US: Defence minister

Return of Christian families, investors to Iraq national priority: PM