Four summits on Syria, Merkel for the first time

In Istanbul, a quadripartite summit on the future of the civil war began in Syria. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French Head of State Emmanuel Macron and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin came to attend the meeting for several hours this afternoon. For Merkel, it is the first summit on Syria. UN mediator Staffan de Mistura is expected to brief the four politicians on the current situation.

All eyes are on the meeting, Erdogan said in the prelude. "I think we will not let down expectations."

Idlib in brief

The four countries wanted to talk in particular about the situation in the last rebel stronghold, Idlib, in northwestern Syria. There, Russia, an ally of the Syrian government, and Turkey, supporters of the rebels, created a demilitarized buffer zone. They want to prevent a government offensive.

The summit should also aim to put the political process back on track. All previous peace talks led by the UN have failed. In addition, a constitutional committee composed of representatives of the government and the opposition, decided last January, has not yet been formed.

Merkel met with Erdogan and Putin for an individual interview before the kickoff. The Turkish president might have explained to him the state of the investigation into the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul. That could also have gone to the verdict announced Friday against the German Patrick K. (29). K. was sentenced to more than six months in prison after more than seven months in prison for alleged membership in a terrorist organization.