Antalya, Turkey, Nov 15 (EFE).– U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Sunday in Turkey held a “constructive meeting” to discuss the war in Syria, White House officials said.

The meeting, held on the margins of the G20 summit in the Turkish seaside resort of Antalya, lasted about 35 minutes and both leaders agreed on the need for a political transition in the Middle Eastern country led and carried out by the Syrians themselves.

In addition, Obama mentioned the importance of Russia focusing its military efforts in Syria on the Islamic State, the sources added.

The two men acknowledged that a solution to the Syrian conflict is more important now in light of the Paris terrorist attacks last Friday – responsibility for which was claimed by the Islamic State jihadists – that killed 129 people and wounded hundreds more.

Obama and Putin noted the diplomatic progress made in Vienna in recent weeks, including the areas of agreement set forth on Saturday by the international support group for Syria.

A political transition in Syria, which Russia estimates would last about 18 months, must be preceded by negotiations mediated by the United Nations between the opposition and the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, as well as by a ceasefire.

The main allies and international detractors of the Syrian regime recently have been trying to narrow their stances to allow a peace process to get under way in that country.

For the first time, the foreign ministers of all countries involved in one way or another with the conflict, met over the past few weeks, including Sunni Saudi Arabia, allied with the Syrian opposition, and Shiite Iran, the main ally of Damascus.

In the middle of the debate is the future of Assad, with the Western bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, demanding that he leave power, and Russia and Iran holding to the line that he must remain, although not indefinitely. EFE