Presidents of Russia, Turkey, Iran to meet in April in Turkey - RIA cites Kremlin

 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a news conference in Ankara, Turkey, December 11, 2017. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Preparations are under way for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to meet in April in Turkey, RIA news agency said on Monday.

 

The agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

 

The three countries' foreign ministers are due to meet in Kazakhstan in two weeks to prepare the ground for an Istanbul summit on Syria, the TASS news agency reported earlier on Monday, citing Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

 

(Reporting by Polina Devitt; Writing by Polina Ivanova; editing by John Stonestreet)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-20

This can be marketed as "The Festival of Democracy".

31 minutes ago, Cats4ever said:

This can be marketed as "The Festival of Democracy".

yes, but Israel, the flagship of democracy,  is not there 

Then west had better pay attention.

Putin lining up potential allies against the US, Israel and their allies?

15 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Putin lining up potential allies against the US, Israel and their allies?

He doesn't need to do that, these countries all have the same interest at the moment.

Just now, stevenl said:

He doesn't need to do that, these countries all have the same interest at the moment.

 

He might want to lead them, and ensure they follow his agenda and act collectively don't you think?

19 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

He might want to lead them, and ensure they follow his agenda and act collectively don't you think?

No. Erdogan and Iran will always follow their own agenda, and Putin knows this very well. You're right though IMO about 'acting collectively', because that is what this meeting is about IMO. How to move forward and not get burned on the way.

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

He doesn't need to do that, these countries all have the same interest at the moment.

 

The interests of the three countries mentioned converge only on some matters, and up to a point. On some key issues they are at odds, or holding competing agendas. This is true even if narrowing the scope to Syrian related issues only.

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

Putin lining up potential allies against the US, Israel and their allies?

 

No, more about holding talks with semi-allies who are directly and heavily involved with matters related to the Syrian Civil War and Russian diplomatic efforts on this front.

45 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

No, more about holding talks with semi-allies who are directly and heavily involved with matters related to the Syrian Civil War and Russian diplomatic efforts on this front.

No doubt one topic will be their oppe\onent and semi-opponent, (or is it enemy and semi-enemy), the USA.

1 minute ago, ilostmypassword said:

No doubt one topic will be their oppe\onent and semi-opponent, (or is it enemy and semi-enemy), the USA.

 

I would venture that they don't exactly see eye to eye on this as well. If the US military presence was do be withdrawn - what next? Who gets the lion's share of the "spoils"? None of the three is particularly happy about the US's military presence in Syria, but it does serve some purposes - as a buffer, as a go to target in any blame game or whenever deflections are in order. And at least on Russia's part (and probably Iran's too, up to a point) - seeing the US trying to wiggle between it's conflicting commitments and disoriented foreign policy must be worth something.

A trio of 'enemy of democracy and human rights' !

8 hours ago, Truth2W said:

yes, but Israel, the flagship of democracy,  is not there 

 

Israel (which of course has some weaknesses regarding human rights), at least, knows how to try (and sometimes jail) its wrong-doing government-politicians, including even serving prime ministers and presidents. Can you imagine that happening in Turkey, Russia or Iran ?! I certainly can't.

Edited February 20, 20188 yr by JemJem

Yet further proof, if any were needed, about the increasing insignificance of the US on the world stage, thanks to you-know-who.

In earlier times, the US might have been invited, at least as an observer.  Nowadays, the US is the last entity wanted at international meetings.

 

This trend will manifest in Europe also.  European heads will meet to discuss important international issues, but they won't want US reps there, for two basic reasons:  #1 not even the Sec. of State can speak for the US, as Trump can/may contradict him in seconds, with a tweet.  Secondly, the US under Trump has ideas which are contrary to European consensus.   Examples: Climate Change, Ukraine, Brexit, Russia, a strong NATO,  ....and other issues.

Troll posts and replies removed.

 

14 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Yet further proof, if any were needed, about the increasing insignificance of the US on the world stage, thanks to you-know-who.

In earlier times, the US might have been invited, at least as an observer.  Nowadays, the US is the last entity wanted at international meetings.

 

This trend will manifest in Europe also.  European heads will meet to discuss important international issues, but they won't want US reps there, for two basic reasons:  #1 not even the Sec. of State can speak for the US, as Trump can/may contradict him in seconds, with a tweet.  Secondly, the US under Trump has ideas which are contrary to European consensus.   Examples: Climate Change, Ukraine, Brexit, Russia, a strong NATO,  ....and other issues.

 

Well, being "significant" in this context also implies responsibility and having to deal with quite a bit of complicated and contradicting issues - often without obvious gain of concrete results or credit. So taking the backseat may not be all bad, after years of being at the forefront. And yes, while it's not everyone's idea of the US getting less entangled in hopeless foreign conflicts - that's pretty much what it's going to look like. Can't have it both ways.

 

As for the usual hyperbole - the OP is about a preparatory meeting by three nations who's interests do not fully align with those of the US, to put it mildly. The US would not be invited to participate in, or even "observe" such deliberations, regardless of administration. And the US is "the last entity wanted in international meetings" is a statement which might be real in your mind, but does not generally apply elsewhere.

 

This "trend", to the extent that it's real, will reverse once Trump is out of office. I think most of the US's allies understand that the current state of things is an anomaly rather than a glimpse of things to come.

On 2/20/2018 at 9:15 PM, JemJem said:

 

Israel (which of course has some weaknesses regarding human rights), at least, knows how to try (and sometimes jail) its wrong-doing government-politicians, including even serving prime ministers and presidents. Can you imagine that happening in Turkey, Russia or Iran ?! I certainly can't.

The fact that they have the habit of eliminating their temporary leader by sending them to jail, should not mean that the germ of democracy is existing in that country. It is rather some kind of way of changing the leader. Whatever I can imagine with the other countries, does not rise Israel