Germany presses Turkey to show restraint in Syria German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to respond with restraint to the planned withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria

BERLIN -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to respond with restraint to the planned withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria.

Merkel's office said the leaders spoke by phone on Sunday and both stressed the importance of the U.N.-led political process in efforts to end the conflict in Syria. A statement from the chancellor's office said the Islamic State group has been pushed back but remains a "significant danger."

The statement said Merkel "expressed the expectation that Turkey would react with restraint and responsibility to the announced withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria."

On Saturday, Russian and Turkish ministers agreed to maintain cooperation in northern Syria as U.S. forces prepare to withdraw and Turkey threatens to launch a military operation against U.S.-backed Kurdish forces.