MOSCOW. Jan 24 (Interfax) - The letter written by the permanent representatives of France, Germany and the United Kingdom to the Secretary General of the United Nations regarding the formation of a constitutional committee for Syria came as a surprise for Russia and Turkey, President Vladimir Putin said.
"Regarding the formation of the constitutional committee [in Syria]. We think it is a crucial area which should cement our results on battlefield with terrorists, because all issues can only be solved definitely in the long term by means of political diplomacy," Putin said after Russian-Turkish talks on Wednesday.
"Consensus should be sought among all conflicting sides in Syria, and this can only be done during talks, including over the creation of the state-power entity which would be steady, acceptable for all religious, ethnic groups and within which everyone would feel being part of the future of their country - the Syrian Arab Republic," Putin said.
The problems that arose in this process should spur all sides involved "to show greater political will, more consistency and a sincere desire to achieve results," he said.
Putin recalled the Istanbul meeting, organized at the initiative of the Turkish president, where Russia, Turkey, France and Germany agreed to work together to set up the committee.
"Colleagues asked Russia to assume the obligation of agreeing the committee lineup with the Syrian government and Iranian partners. The Turkish Republic was vested with the difficult task of agreeing this list with the opposition representatives. We did this job. It was tough: we agreed [on the lineup] both with Damascus and with Tehran in a difficult discussion," Putin said.
"[Job] done, and all of a sudden, at the final stage, just as we were about to put a full stop, in Geneva we hear that some of our partners consider this job mission unaccomplished," Putin said.