Erdogan offers Putin to jointly develop Syrian oil deposits
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has proposed to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to boost Syria’s economy by jointly developing Syrian oil deposits. Erdogan himself told journalists about his proposal to Putin during the flight from Belgium to Turkey. An excerpt of the interview was published by NTV channel.
"With the oil we get from here, we will make a contracting company, and if you support it financially, let us bring the destroyed Syria back on its feet," Erdogan told Putin.
The Turkish president explained that in Deir ez-Zor province terrorists are now "exploiting resources" and that "the United States has plans for these deposits" too. By terrorists, Erdogan was referring to the Kurdish YPG militias, and the "U.S. plans" - the U.S. military, which after the withdrawal of some troops from Syria retained the control over the oil fields in the northeast of the country, including the large Conoco gas processing plant.
In addition, according to the Turkish President, Russia lays claims to the oil field near Qamishli.
"The oil produced by terrorists is substandard, unprocessed. But if it is brought into good condition, it will give a chance to rebuild Syria. And it will be immediately clear who wants to defend Syria and ensure its unity, and who wants to undermine it," the Turkish president said. According to him, Putin gave neither a positive nor a negative answer. At the same time, Erdogan noted that he could make the same proposal to the United States.