The expected thing happened: common sense won. It is symbolic that this took place in Moscow. It shows how you can and should agree. The Syrian Idlib did not become a reason for the deterioration of Russian-Turkish relations, although there were such fears. He raised a serious discussion - yes, but who said it would be easy ...
The results of the six-hour talks in the Russian capital are well known: the leaders of the two countries agreed to stop any military operations on the contact line, a security corridor is being created, and joint Russian-Turkish patrols will begin. Putin and Erdogan confirmed that they greatly appreciate the relations between the two countries, which, according to the Turkish leader, are currently at their peak. There will be no escalation of the conflict. The Turkish president noted that he recognized the territorial integrity of Syria, and also expressed his readiness to continue to counter the terrorist threat.
Moreover, it is important that all this did not happen at all behind the Syrian side. It is noted that Putin will inform Assad of the results of negotiations between Moscow and Ankara.
We will see how all this will be realized. But Erdogan’s visit to Moscow showed that all the talk about the importance of Turkish-Russian relations is not speculative rhetoric at all. Talking about concessions to one side or another, as well as diplomatic victory, is hardly worth another. The memorandum following the results of the negotiations outlined just the joint work to prevent the resolution of the conflict situation by force.
In fact, what happened is an important example of how to work with serious crisis material, where only strike a match ... But don’t have to strike it, you need to moderate your ambitions and work together.
The essence of the conflict is clear: Turkey is increasing its influence in the border Syrian province, where there is a pro-Turkish population, including through the support of certain local groups. The Syrian authorities continue to cleanse the country of all kinds of proliferated armed groups, especially since terrorist organizations have again intensified. Government forces clashed with "opposition" armed groups supported by Turkey, where the Turkish military were located. Through this, the exchange of “courtesies” with the victims went both from the Turkish and the Syrian sides. Hence all the differences in the perception of what happened. Ankara and Damascus parted on opposite sides of the ring. Moscow here is not a referee at all, but is trying to reformat the dialogue from the ring format.
There was a sensation in the Russian capital, but it must be said that it was quite expected: the conflict, which could very well assume the character of a full-scale war, was stopped. Only the forces that longed for the breakdown of the negotiation process, as well as the serious deterioration of relations between Russia and Turkey, which many storms have gone through in recent years, but have only become stronger, have saddened the incident. To so many world interests and players they are a thorn in the eye and confuse all the cards, especially in efforts to create zones of conflict and crisis.
It is also noteworthy that against the background of the aggravation of the situation in Idlib, there was a massive gloating over Turkish-Russian relations.
Say, that’s all love ... The position of an arrogant observer has been developed, scratching his belly and clattering his pseudo-intellectual seeds in front of the World Wide Web screen. This observer craves intrigues and shows, he needs “gladiator fights” in any field, therefore the main principle: the worse, the better, more fun. Not only that, he also has claims for the status of a supreme and omniscient judge, however, all in the same hopelessly philistine brine.
This observer is a distant one, staying in his philistine cocoon and somehow frankly craving troubles for his country, so that everything falls apart, after which it would be possible to say: “we said!” He wants to adjust the country to his own comfort format so that he does not stick out anywhere and sit in his hut on the edge. Something from the category of clinical, however, you are already getting used to such background noise of gloating, it arises for any reason. This is a very peculiar form of manifestation of a civil position. Rather, whooper.
An important lesson of the Russian-Turkish dialogue is to overcome stereotypical thinking. Like, the positioned friendship of the two leaders should be an endless and uninterrupted moment of the famous picture of Brezhnev and Honecker. “Friend Bill” and “I will sing right now” - this was also the format of friendship. Or the endlessly beloved world leaders adored Mikhail Sergeyevich, who fell into dependence on this adoration and on endless applause, turning into a standing ovation in his honor ...
In all the friendships between Russian and Turkish leaders, priority is still the national interests of the countries. Friendship is not higher and does not replace them, but is the foundation for dialogue and understanding. This is a large and arduous work, in which sometimes the partner must be delicately directed into the channel of this very friendship, especially if outside actors interfere in the situation.
In this regard, a very curious observation was made by the head of the Duma committee on international affairs Leonid Slutsky, watching the American press the night after the six-hour talks in the Kremlin.
“The conclusions in the publications are obvious, but ... for the United States it’s not always hospitable. “It is clear that the United States was left out of work” is one of the headlines of the American media, and it is very valuable that it appeared not in Russia, but in Washington. Indeed, all the days of escalation in Idlib, the United States actively put Moscow and Ankara on the verge of an open war. A wonderful and such a convenient opportunity to push in Syria those whose close cooperation of some is so annoying, ”the deputy wrote.
Negotiations and agreements in Moscow have shown that we can always find common ground, no matter how much anyone else wants. Actually, this was what the Russian president said: “We do not always agree with our Turkish partners in assessing what is happening in Syria, but every time at critical moments, relying on the achieved high level of bilateral relations, we still managed to find common ground, and this happened this time". These are the fruits and real results of the current Russian-Turkish partnership. It seems that all these are simple things, but they also need to be recognized.
It must be understood that the implementation of the agreements will go far from simple, the Syrian tangle of contradictions, often turning into a trap, is too tightened. But, again, there is an understanding: the threat of Russian-Turkish cooling is extremely painful for both countries. Such pragmatics will be an excellent motivating factor for joint patrolling in the conflict zone.
The author’s point of view may not coincide with the position of the publisher.