On Friday, June 29th, Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that he is open to meeting with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al-Assad to restore bilateral relations between their states, Middle East Monitor reports on June 29th.
Turkey cut ties with Syria following the onset of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, backing opposition groups aiming to overthrow Bashar Al-Assad. Ankara has conducted multiple cross-border military operations against militants it deems a threat to its national security and has established a “safe zone” in northern Syria, where Turkish forces are stationed.
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However, as part of a regional effort to normalize relations with Gulf states, Turkey has indicated that it may restore ties with Damascus. This potential restoration is contingent upon progress in combating terrorism, ensuring the safe and voluntary return of millions of refugees hosted by Turkey, and advancing the political process.
When journalists inquired about reports that Bashar Al-Assad’s government is open to normalization initiatives, provided they respect Syria’s sovereignty and contribute to the fight against terrorism, Erdogan confirmed the possibility of restoring relations. He stated that Ankara and Damascus may indeed move towards re-establishing ties.
There is no reason why this shouldn’t happen.
Just as we maintained active relations in the past – even having family discussions with Mr. Assad – it is certainly possible for this to happen again in the future. It can happen,
-Erdogan stated, emphasizing that Turkiye does not intend to interfere in internal affairs of Syria.
Middle East Monitor and agencies