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Putin states positions on Syria with Turkish leader getting closer

The Turkish president believes the Syrian crisis can be settled only politically
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin
© AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis

ANTALYA, November 16./TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday positions were getting closer with the Turkish leader as to a need for political settlement of the Syrian crisis.

"We spoke a lot yesterday with [Turkish President] Tayyip Erdogan about bilateral relations, and about the Syrian settlement. I had a feeling that we will be able to find some common points that will let us achieve general success," he said.

"The Turkish president, as he directly told me yesterday, believes the Syrian crisis can be settled only politically. And conditions must be created for progress in that political process," Putin told a briefing after a G20 summit.

Putin noted that after the recent elections in Turkey he felt "no difficulties" in working with the leadership of that country with whom he had already cooperated before.

"Rather on the contrary. We can state some rapprochement. The Turkish president is a direct and open person," he continued.

"He is not an easy person to negotiate with, but nevertheless he is a very experienced person, and he is obviously working for search for solution," the Russian president said.