Malcolm Turnbull says Australia could send peacekeepers to Syria

Malcolm Turnbull has signalled Australia could send peacekeepers to Syria in the event progress is made at the G20 summit this weekend on finding a political Turnbull told reporters in Antalya it would be desirable to source peacekeepers from Syria’s neighbours first because they would be more likely to find “greater acceptance” from the local population in the event peace was ultimately brokered – but he did not rule out Australia making a contribution.

Before the formal G20 kick-off, regional foreign ministers meeting in Vienna and the five permanent members of the UN security council – which includes Russia – agreed to support and implement a nationwide ceasefire in Syria to come into effect just as soon as representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition take initial steps towards creating a transitional governing body in the country.

The proposed ceasefire agreed in Vienna would not apply to any military actions taken against Islamic State or the Al-Nusra jihadist militia.

The roadmap supports a ceasefire and “a Syrian-led process that will, within a target of six months, establish credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance, and set a schedule and process for drafting a new constitution”.

Free and fair elections would be held in the country within 18 months, administered under UN supervision.

Establishing a political roadmap for Syria, and intensifying collective efforts to combat violent extremism, will be a major focus of the G20 summit and the working dinner on Sunday night.

Turnbull told reporters it would be “very challenging” to broker peace in Syria given the complexity of the interests, but there were “some good signs coming out of Vienna, and there may be a role for peacekeepers”.

“The critical thing is achieving some degree of common purpose among the various parties in Syria,” Turnbull said.

“If the great powers can have a common purpose so what is happening in Syria is not a proxy war then there is a greater prospect of there being a political settlement on the ground.”solution to the crisis.