Chancellor Angela Merkel and President François Hollande have called on the parties to the conflict in Syria to respect the ceasefire. The commitment to the ceasefire is an important message, said the Chancellor.
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Earlier, Angela Merkel, François Hollande, David Cameron and Matteo Renzi discussed the situation in Syria by telephone with Vladimir Putin.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande met in Paris to discuss and coordinate their positions prior to the EU-Turkey summit on Monday. They took the opportunity for a telephone conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the British Prime Minister David Cameron and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, which focused on the ceasefire in Syria.
The Chancellor reported that President Vladimir Putin had reaffirmed his commitment to the ceasefire during the telephone conference. "We all agreed that the political process for Syria must get off the ground as rapidly as possible," said Angela Merkel. This is the foundation for transformation.
The humanitarian situation in Syria was also discussed, said the Chancellor. The situation of the people in the country must be improved, whereby initial progress can already be seen.
The ceasefire in Syria came into effect in the night of the 26/27 February. Reports indicate that it has held by and large.
In Paris Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also discussed the situation in Syria with his French and British opposite numbers Jean-Marc Ayrault and Philip Hammond, as well as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. The focus was on preparations for the next round of peace talks scheduled to begin in Geneva on 9 March. They also discussed how humanitarian access can be improved.