Macron 'positively assesses' Sochi deal on Syria

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The French president has “positively assessed" the recent Turkish-Russian deal on Syria in a phone talk with his Russian counterpart, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

During his conversation with France’s Emmanuel Macron, Russia’s Vladimir Putin stressed that the agreement addresses the interests of all involved parties, the Kremlin said in a statement.

"[…] the measures specified by the Sochi Memorandum are a good basis for stabilization in the Euphrates region and will contribute to the settlement of the Syrian crisis as a whole," the statement said.

Both presidents expressed hope the first meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva next week will be results-oriented.

On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a meeting in Russia's Black Sea resort town of Sochi.

Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Turkey’s border with northern Syria within 150 hours, and security forces from Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols there.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.