'Real chance' to end war

Vladimir Putin yesterday called for "concessions and compromise" from all parties in Syria's six-year conflict as he kicked off a key summit with the leaders of Turkey and Iran aimed at reviving stuttering peace negotiations.

The summit with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Black Sea resort of Sochi came two days after the Russian leader hosted surprise talks with the war-torn country's President Bashar al-Assad there.

"It is obvious that the reform process will not be simple, it will require compromise and concessions from all parties, including obviously the Syrian government," Putin said.

"I count on the fact that Russia, Iran and Turkey will put in their best efforts to make this work as productive as possible," he added.

Putin added that there was a "real chance" to end Syria's war which monitors say has killed more than 330,000 people as he said Russia, Turkey and Iran had managed to prevent the collapse of the war-torn country.

Turkey's Erdogan for his part said the three countries could produce decisive steps towards ending the bloodshed in Syria, reported Reuters.

"The point we have reached is important, but not enough," Erdogan told the gathering, also attended by military commanders and foreign ministers from the three countries.

"It is critical for all parties to contribute to a permanent and acceptable political solution for the people of Syria," he said. "This summit is aimed at results, I believe critical decisions will be taken."

Iran's Rouhani said the three countries' strategy was "based on partnership and not competition, on friendship and not on animosity"

"By cooperating, our countries destroyed the decaying body of terror" in Syria, he said.

Russia claims to have practically ended the military conflict through its intervention, but the various sides in Syria are far from a political agreement.

Ahead of the summit in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Putin discussed Syria with his US counterpart Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman, among other leaders.

In a lengthy phone call late Tuesday, Putin and Trump stressed the need to ensure "the stability of a unified Syria," the White House said.

Yesterday's summit comes ahead of UN-led talks in Geneva set for November 28. Meanwhile Syrian opposition figures gathered in Saudi yesterday in a bid to form an overhauled delegation to peace talks that analysts expect will be more willing to compromise on key demands.