French President Macron reaches out to resolve Ghouta crisis

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Emmanuel Macron (C), head of the political movement En Marche !, or Forward !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election visits a qualification class for refugees of German railway operator Deutsche Bahn in Berlin January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

PARIS: The French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to discuss the conflict in Syria at large and the Ghouta region in particular.

He “spoke of his deep concern and of immediate measures to be taken, notably by Iran and Russia, so that Damascus finally accepts the UN resolution, gives access to humanitarian aid convoys and for a truce be implemented under UN control,” said a statement released by the French presidency.
Both leaders pledged to continue discussions on the crisis and to seek a political solution to the conflict by engaging all relevant stakeholders, including the Syrian opposition.

Macron’s contact with Erdogan came soon after he spoke with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, urging him to use Iranian influence over the Syrian government to cease military operations in Eastern Ghouta and allow humanitarian aid to flow unimpeded.