MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s representative at the Syria talks says the “de-escalation zones” will be closed to military aircraft from the U.S.-led coalition.

Alexander Lavrentyev’s comments Friday come a day after talks in Kazakhstan where Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to establish the zones in Syria. Under the Russian plan, President Bashar Assad’s air force would halt flights over the designated areas across the war-torn country.

Lavrentyev, whose remarks were carried by Russian news agencies, said U.S.-led coalition aircraft would be able to operate against the Islamic State group in specific areas, but the “de-escalation zones” were now closed to their flights.

The agreement is the latest attempt to reduce violence in the Arab country. But the full details of the proposal were not made available and prospects for its success appeared bleak.</s>BEIRUT, Lebanon — Russia, Iran and Turkey signed a memorandum on Thursday to create four “de-escalation zones” in Syria, to reduce bloodshed in a war now in its seventh year, but many questions remained about the plan.

Presented at talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, the memorandum was the most ambitious of recent proposals, but it was not signed by the Syrian rebels or government. Rebel representatives said it left too many loopholes for the Syrian military to continue what the rebels called indiscriminate bombings of civilian areas.

The memorandum calls for a pause in fighting, including government airstrikes, and for unhindered aid deliveries in and around the four main zones still held by rebels unaffiliated with the Islamic State. It also calls for all parties to fight jihadists like the Islamic State and the Qaeda-linked group once known as the Nusra Front.

The top United Nations envoy dealing with Syria, Staffan de Mistura, called the memorandum an “important, promising, positive step in the right direction.”</s>Turkey and Russia push for safe-zones in Syria – Al Jazeera

The presidents of Russia and Turkey are pushing for the creation of safe-zones in war-torn Syria as talks were expected to resume on Thursday in Kazakhstan between the government and the opposition.

Meeting in the Russian resort town of Sochi, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin expressed hope on Wednesday that the Syrian government and the opposition would adopt this latest proposal to “de-escalate” the conflict, which has run now for six years and claimed some 400,000 lives.

“We both proceed on the basis that – and this is our common position – the creation of safe zones should lead to further pacification and cessation of hostilities,” said Putin.

Turkey and Russia are deeply entangled in the war in Syria, including each having troops on the ground – Ankara supporting various Syrian opposition factions and Moscow backing President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

The opposition suspended its participation at the talks in Astana, the Kazakh capital, on Wednesday in protest of air attacks that hit areas under their control in Syria, demanding a halt to the government’s bombardment.

The Syrian armed opposition will return to the talks on Thursday, RIA news agency quoted a source close to the negotiations as saying. Reuters news agency reported the opposition delegation had not yet arrived at the venue.

Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Astana, said it wasn’t 100 percent certain that the rebels would return.

“The opposition themselves haven’t committed to their attendance. They’re currently behind closed doors in their own meetings trying to figure out exactly what their stance is. The true test will be at around 10GMT [4pm local time] when there is meant to be a very important session that would have all the different parties involved – if the opposition isn’t boycotting this,” Elshayyal said.

Russian representatives had presented the rebels with a proposal for four “de-escalation zones” in Syria where the warring sides would be separated by “security lines”.

“About terrorists, in spite of the creation of these zones, the war on terror will be ongoing – against such organisations as so-called Islamic State [ISIL], Jabhat al-Nusra, and those ones that are put on the list of terrorist organisations approved by the United Nations,” Putin said.

Putin also said Russian and Syrian government jets would halt flights over the specified zones if all sides respect the ceasefire.

The proposal presented to the opposition in Astana delineates four zones in Syria where front lines between the government and opposition forces would be frozen and fighting halted, according to a statement made by the opposition.

The four zones include areas in the provinces of Idlib and Homs, the Eastern Ghouta suburb outside Damascus, and an area in the south of the country.

The zones, according to the proposal, would be monitored by international observers and allow for the voluntary return of refugees.

We won’t admit the emergence on our southern borders of enemy enclaves that would endanger our territorial integrity and security,” Erdogan said.

Late Wednesday, Syria’s foreign ministry said Damascus is “fully backing” the Russian initiative on the four ceasefire areas, according to the state-run SANA news agency.

But Ahmed Ramadan, an opposition representative, told The Associated Press that the opposition had requested a written answer on a number of questions, including why the ceasefire would only be in effect in the four areas instead of a nationwide truce.

This is the fourth round of talks in Astana since January. Separately, there have been five rounds of UN-sponsored Syria peace talks in Geneva since 2012, but none have led to a sustainable ceasefire.

Later on Wednesday, Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for Syria, called on the opposition to return to the talks in Astana “because what is important is also to look at the possibility of an outcome on a de-escalation”. He stressed the importance of not destroying “the opportunity of good news” related to this issue.(Al Jazeera)</s>Russia, Iran and Turkey on Thursday signed an agreement to set up four safe zones in Syria that the United Nations described as a promising step to wind down the brutal six-year war.

The United States however gave an extremely cautious welcome, citing Iran's role as a guarantor even as it expressed hope that the deal could set the stage for a settlement.

Several members of the rebel delegation left the room shouting in protest as the signing ceremony got underway in the Kazakh capital Astana, angry at regime ally Iran, an AFP reporter saw.

The plan for the "de-escalation zones" was discussed on Tuesday by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a telephone conversation that the White House described as a "very good one."

The agreement provides for a ceasefire, a ban on all flights, rapid deliveries of humanitarian aid to the designated areas and the return of refugees.

Russia and Iran, which back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces in the war, and Turkey, a supporter of rebel forces, hope to build on a ceasefire deal they reached in December.

The Syrian government and rebel delegations are not signatories to the deal.

"We are not supporting this agreement. It is an agreement between the three countries," said Usama Abu Zeid, a rebel spokesman. "We do not at all agree that Iran .. is a guarantor of this accord."

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, who was in Astana as an observer, described the agreement as "an important promising positive step in the right direction" toward de-escalation.

A working group will be set up within two weeks to resolve technical issues and the three countries agreed to set up the four areas by June 4.

The first zone included the whole of Idlib province along with certain parts of neighbouring Latakia, Aleppo and Hama provinces. The second will encompass certain parts in the north of Homs province and the third will be comprised of some areas of Eastern Ghouta, outside of Damascus.

The fourth zone will include parts of the Deraa and Quneitra provinces in southern Syria, according to the memorandum seen by AFP.

The UN envoy said the deal would be quickly put to the test and that success on the ground could pave the way to a new round of political talks in Geneva later this month.

"There will be a period not longer than two weeks in which all this will be seriously put to the test and we want that test to succeed," he said.

In Washington, the State Department, which had dispatched an observer to the talks, said it appreciated Russian and Turkish efforts but called into doubt Iran's role.

"We continue to have concerns about the Astana agreement, including the involvement of Iran as a so-called 'guarantor'," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

"Iran's activities in Syria have only contributed to the violence, not stopped it, and Iran's unquestioning support for the Assad regime has perpetuated the misery of ordinary Syrians."

"We nonetheless hope that this arrangement can contribute to a de-escalation of violence, end the suffering of the Syrian people, and set the stage for a political settlement of the conflict," she said.

Russia's envoy Alexander Lavrentiev said the zones would remain in place for six months, a period that could be extended.

It remained unclear whether there would be any international monitoring of the safe zones.

Putin said Wednesday that ways to monitor the zones would be an issue for separate talks.

Lavrentiev said Moscow was ready to send observers to the zones.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published Thursday that the plan for the "de-escalation zones" would "50 percent" solve the six-year conflict.

Syrian rebels said earlier Thursday that they had resumed participation in the talks after having suspended their involvement a day earlier over air strikes against civilians.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the country's war began with anti-government protests in March 2011.</s>Diplomatic efforts in Astana, Kazakhstan, between Russian, Turkish and Iranian delegations have resulted in an agreement to enact safe zones in Syria in what observers hope will be a big step toward peace in the war-torn country. Moscow, Ankara and Tehran emerged as the guarantors of the strategy and authorized the memo creating the safe zones.

The zones are located in the Idlib province, an area north of the city of Homs, in eastern Ghouta, and in southern Syria, and while they have taken effect, it will be about a month before all details of their establishment are finalized, Russian officials have said.

The zones are intended to provide refuge for displaced persons and help in the distribution of humanitarian aid. Syrian government and opposition forces are barred from engaging with each other in the de-escalation zones, a rule to be enforced with checkpoints and security buffers, Sputnik has previously reported.

"The work of combat aircraft in zones of de-escalation, especially of the international coalition planes, is not expected at all, with or without notification," said Alexander Lavrentyev, Russia’s Special Presidential Representative for Syria.

The decision to usher in safe zones was "supported by all principal players," according to Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, among them the United Nations, the US administration, Saudi Arabia and other nations. This led him to conclude "there is a certain degree of guarantee that the memorandum will be implemented."

Iranian, Israeli, Turkish, Syrian and Russian defense ministries and intelligence services cooperated during "working sessions" to bring about a de-escalation of violence, Fomin said.

"The position of the United States, which welcomed the steps towards reducing the level of violence in Syria, improving the humanitarian situation and creating the environment for resolving the conflict," Fomin said, "has played a positive role."

Nevertheless, political analyst Evgeny Kutikov wrote in a recent report that the new policy shouldn’t be regarded as a "concession to Washington."

One hope is that safe zones will free up more resources for Damascus to fight Daesh, says Sergey Rudskoy, head of Main Operations of the Russian General Staff. "Within the borders of de-escalation zones, military actions between the warring sides stop, including the use of any weapons," and of course, "including airstrikes," Lavrentyev noted.

On Thursday, the US State Department announced that it “appreciates” the efforts of Turkey and Russia for brokering the deal.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, a phone call between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson provided a platform for both sides to discuss the situation in Syria and the prospect of establishing peace.

"The sides discussed the de-escalation for the situation in that country, stabilizing the ceasefire regime, increasing anti-terrorism efforts, and intensifying external assistance to the inter-Syrian negotiation process," the ministry said May 5.</s>The presidents of Russia and Turkey are pushing for the creation of safe-zones in war-torn Syria as talks were expected to resume on Thursday in Kazakhstan between the government and opposition.

Meeting in the Russian resort town of Sochi, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin expressed hope on Wednesday the Syrian government and rebels would adopt this latest proposal to “de-escalate” the conflict, which has run now for six years and claimed some 400,000 lives.

“We both proceed on the basis that – and this is our common position – the creation of safe zones should lead to further pacification and cessation of hostilities,” said Putin.

Turkey and Russia are deeply entangled in the war in Syria, including each having troops on the ground – Ankara supporting various Syrian opposition factions and Moscow backing President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

The rebels suspended their participation at the talks in Astana, the Kazakh capital, on Wednesday in protest of air strikes targeting areas under their control in Syria, demanding a halt to the government’s bombardment.

The Syrian armed opposition will return to the talks on Thursday, RIA news agency quoted a source close to the negotiations as saying. Reuters news agency reported the rebel delegation had not yet arrived at the venue.

 Syria’s Ghouta residents fear it’s time to flee

Russian representatives had presented the rebels with a proposal for four “de-escalation zones” in Syria where the warring sides would be separated by “security lines”.

“About terrorists, in spite of the creation of these zones, the war on terror will be ongoing – against such organisations as so-called Islamic State [ISIL], Jabhat al-Nusra, and those ones that are put on the list of terrorist organisations approved by the United Nations,” Putin said .

Putin said Russian and Syrian government jets would halt flights over the specified zones if all sides respect the ceasefire.

The proposal presented to the rebels in Astana delineates four zones in Syria where front lines between the government and rebels would be frozen and fighting halted, according to a statement made by rebels.

The four include areas in the provinces of Idlib and Homs, the eastern Ghouta suburbs outside Damascus, and an area in the south of the country.

The zones, according to a document received by rebels, would be monitored by international observers and allow for the voluntary return of refugees.

“We won’t admit the emergence on our southern borders of enemy enclaves that would endanger our territorial integrity and security,” Erdogan said.

Late Wednesday, Syria’s foreign ministry said Damascus is “fully backing” the Russian initiative on the four ceasefire areas, according to the state-run SANA news agency.

But Ahmed Ramadan, an opposition representative, told The Associated Press that rebels requested a written answer on a number of questions, including why the ceasefire would only be in effect in the four areas instead of a nationwide truce.

This is the fourth round of talks in Astana since January. Separately, there have been five rounds of UN-sponsored Syria peace talks in Geneva since 2012, but none have led to a sustainable ceasefire.

Later Wednesday, the UN Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, called on the rebels to return to the talks in Astana “because what is important is also to look at the possibility of an outcome on a de-escalation”. He stressed the importance of not destroying “the opportunity of good news” related to this issue.

 Syria: Under Russia’s fist – People and Power</s>Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 10:22 am |

ASTANA (Reuters) - Russia, Turkey and Iran signed on Thursday a memorandum on creating safe zones in Syria, while the delegation of the armed Syrian opposition walked out and shouted angrily after a new round of peace talks held in the Kazakh capital Astana.

Russia, Turkey and Iran act as guarantors of the Astana peace process.

Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said that next Syria peace talks would be held in Astana in mid-July.

Syria’s armed opposition said it could not accept creating safe zones in Syria because it threatens the country’s territorial integrity and said it would also not recognize Iran as a guarantor of the peace plan.

“We want Syria to maintain its integrity,” opposition delegate Osama Abu Zaid said.

“We are against the division of Syria. As for the agreements, we are not a party to that agreement and of course we will never be in favor [of it] as long as Iran is called a guarantor state.”

Abu Zaid also said that there is “a huge gap” between Russia’s promises and actions.</s>At least five people were killed when a large explosion shook a rebel-held Syrian town along the border with Turkey on Wednesday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a car bomb went off in the town of Azaz close to the offices of the Syrian interim government, which represents the opposition in rebel-held areas. The Observatory and the activist-run Azaz Media Centre confirmed the death toll, which was expected to rise.

The blast came as the Syrian government and the opposition resumed ceasefire talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana, that are sponsored by Russia, a close ally of President Bashar Assad.

The United States is sending a senior State Department official to the talks, and President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, signalled greater co-operation on Syria in a phone call on Tuesday.

The White House said the two men discussed setting up safe zones in the country, where a civil war has been raging for more than six years.

Syrian TV said the Astana talks began with a meeting between delegations from Russia and Iran, another close ally of Assad.

Azaz is on a key opposition supply route, and is a hub for fighters and opposition activists. It also hosts people displaced from fighting elsewhere in the country.

The town has been the scene of several attacks, some claimed by the Islamic State group.

A huge explosion in January killed at least 50 people in Azaz.

A video of the aftermath of Wednesday's explosion posted online by the Azaz Media Centre showed burnt-out cars and firefighters struggling to put out a blaze. Gunfire rang out as people gathered at the scene and ambulances arrived.

The Turkish Dogan news agency said some of the wounded were taken to the state hospital in the Turkish border town of Kilis for treatment.</s>The controversial move has sparked a great deal of debate, some measured and some outlandishly suggesting that Russia ‘sold out’ its Syrian partner.

Here are the key reasons why it was a masterful geo-political move by Russia that will help keep Syria safe, stable and sovereign.

Currently, Syria is operating under a Russian authored ceasefire which the UN Security unanimously passed late last year. Even Obama’s United States didn’t dare veto the Russian resolution.

The carefully worded ceasefire establishes a non-aggression agreement whereby the Syrian led anti-terrorist coalition and certain militant/terrorist groups are bound not to engage in combat. The biggest terrorist groups operating in Syria are not covered by the ceasefire. That means that fighting against groups like ISIS, al-Qaeda/Nusra and others can and indeed is still being fought by the coalition that includes Russia and Iran.

Today’s Memorandum creating safe-zones merely formalises certain areas that will be both literally and figuratively fenced off in order to bolster the existing ceasefire.

This will allow responsible parties like Syria, Russia and Iran to monitor the situation more closely as well as have an even clearer opportunity to fight and destroy the dangerous groups correctly not covered by the ceasefire.

2. Turkey and America Are Politically Neutralised in Syria

Turkey and America have both been pushing for the establishment of safe-zones which in effect are no fly zones. In the last months of the Obama administration, the US was pushing for US controlled no-fly zones that would have attempted to ground Syrian and Russian jets. This was totally unacceptable to both Russia and Syria and could have led to Russian and NATO planes shooting each other out of the sky. The consequences would have been dire.

The current situation sounds similar but is in fact very different. On paper,both Turkey and America have gotten what they want.

In reality, it means that Russia and Iran along with Turkey will be the enforcers of the safe-zones. Turkey as the ‘outsider’ partner in the Astana group is not about to drive a rift between Ankara on the one side and Moscow and Tehran on the other in such an overt fashion. If Turkey did, it would expose Turkey as a totally unreliable partner in the Astana format. The consequences of this would mean Turkey being forced out of the Astana format. It would not lead to the collapse of the Astana format. Turkey is outnumbered in more ways than one in this respect.

READ MORE: Russia calls the bluff of Turkey and so-called Syrian opposition and wins

Turkey has effectively been backed against the wall.

Russia has put the ball in Erdogan’s court. Erdogan is now bound by an agreement to be enforced by countries whose role in Syria has been a positive one, one that supports the Syrian government and consequently the Syrian people.

To put it in more mercenary terms, Russia and Iran have ‘colonised’ the intellectual debate from Turkey and America. They now control the safe-zones which are in effect no-fly zones. This means that Turkey can not act unilaterally without breaking an accord which it is a joint signatory of.

It also means that Turkey and the US are now increasingly distant in terms of alignments in Syria. Turkey must now help enforce an agreement drafted without the United States. Turkey is in the ‘big boys club’, so to speak, but the biggest military force in NATO isn’t a member.

This is compounded by existing tensions that Turkeys and the US have created themselves due to America’s refusal to abandon Kurdish SFD forces and Turkey’s refusal to abandon attacking Kurdish forces. Trouble in NATO paradise is a phrase which comes to mind.

In one swift move, Russia and Iran have not only preserved the status quo in Syria, but have simultaneously clipped the wings of Turkey and isolated America from any attempts to move and shake events without risking a total war against Syria, Russia, Iran and even Turkey.

READ MORE: Erdogan’s chief adviser claims Turkey may ‘accidentally’ attack US troops

Syria’s chief diplomatic envoy Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari has conveyed Syria’s approval of the move. Syria is not about to support a move against its own interests, neither its short term nor long term interests.

Vladimir Putin made clear in his press conference with Turkish President Erdogan that no safe-zones could be established against the will of Syria. Putin has lived up to his word and Syria is not about to betray its on cause so late in the game.

Syria is winning the battle against terrorists on the ground . America’s illegal attack from the 6th of April has not retarded the progress of the Syrian Arab Army in this respect. Syria is supporting the move for the same reason Russia is. Syria, in supporting the Memorandum, has the opportunity to call Turkey’s bluff for the world to see and likewise call the bluff of the militant factions that are part of the Astana talks.

If the safe-zones fail, Syria is vindicated, if they succeed, Syria is one step closer to restoring normalcy.

The militant factions which are part of the Astana talks angrily stormed out of the session where the memorandum was signed by representatives of Russia, Iran and Turkey.

They know full well that their bluff has been called. Their talk of peace has been exposed as the sham that many all ready knew it was and that Syria had constantly said it was.

If the militants do not abide by the protocols of the soon to be established safe zones, the world will then see that their penultimate goal is conquest rather than peace. They will be unmasked as insurgents rather than ‘opposition forces’.

Syria will at long last be vindicated. This may likely happen sooner than expected.

In this sense, Russia, Iran and Syria can turn around to Turkey and the United States and have a big ‘I told you so’ moment. With such a diverse coalition of nations and organisations in favour of the agreement, those who are opposed are the isolated parties. They will have no leg to stand on. They will have to resort to either humility or unilateral war.

Much though the Trump administration is unpredictable, unilateral war seems incredibly unlikely at this stage.

Whilst the US acted unilaterally and illegally in its bombing of Syria, the Memorandum at Astana has been welcomed by the Secretary General of the United Nations.

An official statement from the UN reads,

“The Secretary-General is encouraged by the agreement today in Astana, Kazakhstan, by guarantor countries Iran, Russia and Turkey to de-escalate violence in key areas in Syria. It will be crucial to see this agreement actually improve the lives of Syrians. The Secretary-General welcomes the commitments to ceasing the use of all weapons, particularly aerial assets; to rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access; and to creating conditions for the delivery of medical aid and meeting civilians’ basic needs. The commitments made should not affect the rights of Syrians to seek and enjoy asylum. The UN will continue to support de-escalation within the framework of the Security Council resolutions on Syria. The UN has also been proactively supporting discussions in Astana regarding detainees and humanitarian demining. The Secretary-General welcomes the affirmation from the Astana meeting of the fundamental importance of a political solution and the full support expressed there for the UN-led intra-Syrian talks process in Geneva within the framework of Security Council resolution 2254. The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, is in consultation with all concerned as he finalises the date for the next round of the intra-Syrian talks”.

While the US, UK and France have frequently disregarded the UN, it is essential that this plan, which has Syrian approval, is also in line with the voice of the United Nations.

This again reinforces just how isolated the US and radical Sunni militants are at this time. The UN, Russia, Iran, Syria, Turkey and the UN are on one side, while the US and armed radicals are on another.

There is of course a danger that such an agreement could lead to the federalisation of Syria. This however is opposed by a country who supports the agreement, Syria, as well as a signatory of the agreement, Iran.

While some have accused Russia of agnosticism over federalisation, ultimately Russia has always said that it is a Syrian issue for Syria to decide. Connecting the dots leads to the conclusion that Russia will not bank on federalisation against the wishes of Damascus.

The Memorandum changes few manifest realities on the ground in Syria but it shifts the political trajectory of the situation vastly in favour of Syria, Russia and Iran. Turkey has been boxed into a corner and America doesn’t even have a corner to be boxed into.

Russia’s ‘long game’ strategy appears to have paid off.</s>Russia, Iran and Turkey have signed a deal calling for safe zones to be established inside Syria so that refugees can return and aid be sent in.

The deal, which has not been signed by rebel groups or the Syrian government, proposes one zone in Idlib province, another in Homs, and a third near Damascus.

In theory, all three sites would be no-fly and no-combat zones, though how these areas would be enforced and by whom remains unclear.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that ways to monitor the zones would be an issue for separate talks.

A member of the rebel delegation stormed out of the talks at one point, denouncing Iran which supports the Syrian government.

Russia also backs Assad's leadership, while Turkey supports several rebel factions.

Idlib, where the first of the zones is to be located, is under rebel control and was the site of the recent gas attack which was blamed by the West on Assad's regime.

Homs is largely under the control of government forces, though there is still fierce fighting with ISIS in the area.

Meanwhile the eastern district of Ghouta, in Damascus, is held by a warring selection of rebel factions.

Wednesday's agreement followed on from the Astana talks in December last year which brokered a largely failed ceasefire.

Kazakhstan's foreign minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said: 'Over the past two days, the participants in the Astana talks reviewed the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the cessation of hostilities.

'As a result the guarantor countries agreed to sign a memorandum on the creation of de-escalation zones in Syria.'

The aim is to 'put an immediate end to the violence' and 'provide the conditions for the safe, voluntary return of refugees' as well as the immediate delivery of relief supplies and medical aid, the document said.

Syrian rebels said earlier Thursday that they had resumed participation in the talks after having suspended their involvement a day earlier over air strikes against civilians.

After talks with Turkey counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the safe zones were meant to lead to 'further pacification and cessation of hostilities.'

He also said the proposed zones would also be no-fly areas if fighting on the ground there stopped entirely.

The Kremlin's plan echoes calls by US leader Donald Trump to establish safe zones in Syria.

Putin said Wednesday that 'as far I could tell' the US leader broadly supported the idea in a phone call they held on Tuesday.

Erdogan said in comments published Thursday that Moscow's plan to set up these zones in Syria would '50 per cent' solve the six-year conflict.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the country's war began with anti-government protests in March 2011.
A memorandum is signed by Russia, Iran, and Turkey calling for de-escalation of the Syrian Civil War, although neither the Syrian government nor the Syrian opposition are signatories.