© REUTERS/ Jorge SilvaU.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk as Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang (R) looks on, during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam, November 11, 2017
and called on the parties to the conflict there to participate in the Geneva political process, according to a joint statement they issued following a meeting.
Also Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump confirmed their commitment to defeating the Daesh.Two leaders also praised the "successful US-Russia enhanced de-confliction efforts" between the countries military that have "dramatically accelerated" the terrorists' losses on the battlefield.
"They reviewed progress on the ceasefire in southwest Syria that was finalized the last time the two presidents met in Hamburg, Germany on July 7, 2017," the joint statement read.
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have agreed that "there is no military solution to the conflict in Syria. They confirmed that the ultimate political solution to the conflict must be forged through the Geneva process pursuant to [UN Security Council resolution] UNSCR 2254."The document was prepared by the experts of the two countries and agreed on by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US State Secretary Rex Tillerson on Saturday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik on Saturday that the statement was specifically prepared for the meeting in Da Nang, where the APEC summit is taking place.
Comment: RT adds:
Just two days before the key statement on Syria was issued, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that Trump and Putin have nothing "sufficiently substantive to talk about" at the moment. Relations between Moscow and Washington are currently at the "lowest point" since the Cold War.
Well, the joint statement seems quite significant to us Mr Tillerson! For starters, it is a tacit acceptance on the part of the US that Assad is not going to be toppled any time soon.
Here's the
full Trump-Putin statement as published by the Kremlin:
President Trump and President Putin today, meeting on the margins of the APEC conference in Danang, Vietnam, confirmed their determination to defeat ISIS in Syria. They expressed their satisfaction with successful US-Russia enhanced de-confliction efforts between US and Russian military professionals that have dramatically accelerated ISIS's losses on the battlefield in recent months. The Presidents agreed to maintain open military channels of communication between military professionals to help ensure the safety of both US and Russian forces and de-confliction of partnered forces engaged in the fight against ISIS. They confirmed these efforts will be continued until the final defeat of ISIS is achieved.
The Presidents agreed that there is no military solution to the conflict in Syria. They confirmed that the ultimate political solution to the conflict must be forged through the Geneva process pursuant to UNSCR 2254. They also took note of President Assad's recent commitment to the Geneva process and constitutional reform and elections as called for under UNSCR 2254. The two Presidents affirmed that these steps must include full implementation of UNSCR 2254, including constitutional reform and free and fair elections under UN supervision, held to the highest international standards of transparency, with all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, eligible to participate. The Presidents affirmed their commitment to Syria's sovereignty, unity, independence, territorial integrity, and non-sectarian character, as defined in UNSCR 2254, and urged all Syrian parties to participate actively in the Geneva political process and to support efforts to ensure its success.
Finally President Trump and President Putin confirmed the importance of de-escalation areas as an interim step to reduce violence in Syria, enforce ceasefire agreements, facilitate unhindered humanitarian access, and set the conditions for the ultimate political solution to the conflict. They reviewed progress on the ceasefire in southwest Syria that was finalized the last time the two Presidents met in Hamburg, Germany on July 7, 2017. The two presidents, today, welcomed the Memorandum of Principles concluded in Amman, Jordan, on November 8, 2017, between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America. This Memorandum reinforces the success of the ceasefire initiative, to include the reduction, and ultimate elimination of foreign forces and foreign fighters from the area to ensure a more sustainable peace. Monitoring this ceasefire arrangement will continue to take place through the Amman Monitoring Center, with participation by expert teams from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Russian Federation, and the United States.
The two Presidents discussed the ongoing need to reduce human suffering in Syria and called on all UN member states to increase their contributions to address these humanitarian needs over the coming months.
If Trump is smart, he will get the US the hell out of Syria, let our overexposed (for no reason of any value to the US! - troops trickle back to our oversized embassy compound in Iraq, and call it a day in Syria.
His standing in the US and the world would rise, but he obviously has deep state folks surrounding him who constantly say something like, "Well, that sounds like something that JFK was doing or was about to do."
R.C.
P.s., Although I do not know the region's politics, I dare say that the Saudi demanded and granted resignation of P.M. Hariri in Lebanon, is related to the acceptance that the US is leaving Syria, despite Israel's and Saudi Arabia's desires.
Likewise with the near coup de tat in S.A.
I would look to The Duran for a start on the relationships of those hypotheticals.
R.C.