Syria Issue Plays Important Role in Talks Between Trump, Putin - US Special Envoy
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2018) The experience of past meetings between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shows that the Syrian settlement issue plays an important role in talks between the two leaders, US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey said.
Jeffrey was asked in an interview with RIA Novosti and Kommersant whether Syria would be on the agenda of the possible meeting between Putin and Trump at the G20 summit in Argentina on November 30-December 1.
"Well first of all there is no official confirmation that the meeting will happen. Were a meeting to happen, if you look at the experience of past meetings between President Trump and President Putin, Syria plays a very, very important role," Jeffrey said.
The diplomat stressed that Syria was "very much on the mind" of Trump, adding that the US president focused a great deal of attention to the matter when speaking at the United Nations in New York.
"Those were his words � to de-escalate the conflict and revitalize the political process. That is his policy. He will talk about that at length with anyone willing to talk with him. So we'll have to see if there is a meeting," Jeffrey noted.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Monday that the date for Putin-Trump talks in Argentina was being negotiated.