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Putin and Erdogan emphasize need to strengthen Syrian ceasefire

MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan have emphasized the need to strengthen the Syrian ceasefire during Tuesday’s telephone conversation, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

Putin congratulated Erdogan on successfully conducting the constitutional referendum.

"The two leaders exchanged views on the situation in Syria emphasizing the need to strengthen the Syrian ceasefire and facilitate the Astana and Geneva intra-Syrian talks. They once again pointed out that an impartial international investigation into the alleged chemical attack in Syria’s Idlib Governorate was important," the statement reads.

Besides, the Russian and Turkish presidents also discussed pressing issues related to the development of bilateral relations and agreed to continue contacts.

The alleged chemical weapons incident in the town of Khan Shaykhun, the Idlib Governorate, occurred on April 4. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on that day the Syrian air force delivered airstrikes on several militant facilities where munitions filled with poisonous substances were being made. However, Washington came to the conclusion that Damascus had used chemical weapons which led the US to carry out a missile attack on a Syrian military air base located in the Homs Governorate as the US believes that the attack on Khan Shaykhun was launched from there.