President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation held a joint press conference following their meeting at Zhukovsky International Airport in Moscow, Russia.

"We are taking positive steps in the defense industry, including the start of the delivery of s-400 systems"

Expressing his pleasure to be in Russia to attend MAKS-2019 Airshow, President Erdoğan invited his Russian counterpart and the Russian people to this year’s TEKNOFEST scheduled for September 17-22 in Istanbul.

Recalling that Turkish and Russian ministers held the Mixed Economic Commission meeting last month in Antalya, President Erdoğan said: "We are about to break a new record in tourism this year.

The number of Russian tourists we have hosted in Turkey over the first 6 months of this year has increased by 14 percent to reach 2.7 million. The events related to the mutually announced Year of Culture and Tourism continue successfully.

We are taking positive steps in the defense industry, including the start of the delivery of S-400 systems. In this sense, we had the opportunity to discuss possible steps in many areas related to defense industry during today’s bilateral meeting."

“Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced from their homes in Idlib”

President Erdoğan stated that he and his Russian counterpart Mr. Putin reviewed the developments across Syria with a special focus on the latest situation in Idlib. "We achieved relative peace in Idlib as a result of the memorandum we reached in September in Sochi.

Last year, we averted a humanitarian tragedy in Idlib by taking with Mr. Putin a critical step during a highly sensitive period. However, the regime’s attacks targeting civilians and the civilian infrastructure since May have unfortunately disrupted the tranquility we established in Idlib.

These attacks interrupted our efforts aimed at implementing the Sochi memorandum.

More than 500 innocent people were killed and more than 1,200 civilians were wounded in the regime’s attacks since May.

Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced from their homes in Idlib."

Underlining that 3.5 million Syrians are now faced with a new humanitarian tragedy, President Erdoğan noted that most of these people are headed to Turkish borders.

Turkey is currently home to 3.6 million Syrians; President Erdoğan stressed and continued: "It is unacceptable for the regime to spread death for civilians from ground and air under the pretext of fighting terrorism.

Attacks that target civilians, unfortunately, strengthen radical elements, as well. The regime's provocations have reached the degree of endangering the lives of our soldiers in the region.

I also would like to note that our right to legitimate self-defense leads us to defense, especially along our borders."

“We reiterated our commitment to Syria's territorial integrity”

President Erdoğan said: "We need to take necessary steps on time. I expressed our country's determination on this issue to my dear friend Putin.

I once again emphasized that we are ready to work in the Astana spirit in order for serenity to be achieved in Idlib. Only after the regime puts an end to its attacks can we fulfill our responsibilities stemming from the Sochi memorandum.

As you know, we will maintain the process with a trilateral summit slated for mid-September in Turkey. We hope that this process will significantly contribute to regional peace and we will have hopefully taken much more important steps ahead of the Geneva meeting.”

Stating that they also had the opportunity to discuss the situation east of the Euphrates, President Erdoğan added: "On this occasion, we reiterated our commitment to Syria’s territorial integrity."

“Our goal is to stop the bloodshed and ensure a peaceful environment”

The works to set up the Constitutional Committee is now in the final phase as a result of the efforts of Iran and the United Nations besides Russia, underscored President Erdoğan, and went on to say: "We would like to proclaim the committee as soon as possible, getting over the final setbacks.

As the two countries, we are aware of each other’s security sensitivities. We have thus far taken important steps with my dear friend for Syria’s stability. We will hopefully carry on these steps in the upcoming period as well.

Our goal is to stop the bloodshed and ensure a peaceful environment which our neighbor Syria has been longing for the past eight years.”

“We want the promise for a safe zone to be fulfilled”

Answering reporters’ questions following the press conference, President Erdoğan, in answer to a question about whether the issue of the safe zone east of the Euphrates has been discussed, said he addressed the issue with President Putin, and that both Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of National Defense as well as himself continue to discuss the issue with their U.S. counterparts.

The President noted: "We want them to immediately deliver on their promises they have made to us. We want the terrorist organization in Manbij and the ones in Kobani and in the region to the east to withdraw from those places without any delay. We also want the promise for a safe zone in this region to be fulfilled."

Also drawing attention to the ongoing harassment fires from across the border, President Erdoğan said that it is impossible for Turkey to stand idly so long as these harassment fires continue.

"We want to maintain our solidarity with Russia in many areas of the defense industry"

Responding to a question regarding new potential agreements on defense industry products, President Erdoğan said the President of Defense Industries will continue his talks with his Russian counterpart, and that it is Turkey’s desire to maintain solidarity with Russia in many areas of the defense industry.

Also touching upon the economic cooperation between Turkey and Russia, President Erdoğan drew attention to the 25-billion-dollar trade volume between the two countries and stressed that their common goal is to increase it to 100 billion dollars.

Completing his program in Russia with the press conference, President Erdoğan left for Turkey.

ILKHA