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Merkel says meeting with Russia, Turkey, France on Syria may take place in Q1

ANKARA, January 24. /TASS/. German Chancellor Angela Merkel believes that it is possible to hold a four-way meeting on Syria involving leaders of Russia, Germany, Turkey and France in the first quarter of 2020, she said at a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"We also promised to suggest such a meeting which we held with presidents of Russia and France. It is likely to take place in the first quarter this year," she said.

At the same time, Erdogan did not rule out a possibility of "a situation arising" which will prompt the meeting to take place in March.

The four-way summit attended by leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Turkey was held for the first time in Istanbul in October 2018. Putin, Merkel, Macron and Erdogan then discussed ways of reenergizing Syrian settlement. The summit participants confirmed that they support political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan