The secretary-general of Turkey’s opposition Homeland Party, Özgür Bursli, renewed the intention of party officials to visit the Syrian capital Damascus very soon, after a week of talk of postponing it.
The website Athr Press quoted Bursli as telling the newspaper The Independent, in its Turkish version: The party is in contact with the Syrian Foreign Ministry, and they met for the second time about a week ago.
Bursli pointed out that it is difficult to determine the visit’s date because both sides have different programs. He pointed out that this visit will certainly take place very soon.
He explained that the delegation which will go to Damascus would include the head of the homeland party, Doğu Bernçek, businessman and former member of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Haitham Sancak, as well as many people, including former ministers and officials.
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In mid-August, Bursli announced that the head of the Homeland party would head a high-level delegation of names and important figures from the party to go to Damascus and meet with President Bashar al-Assad.
A few days ago, Turkish media quoted the head of the Al-Watan party as saying that “his visit, which was scheduled to Damascus, was postponed for some time at the request of the Syrian state.”
In his remarks, Bernçek attacked Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), accusing it of being behind the cancellation of the visit.
The head of the Homeland Party is a figure who supports Chinese and Russian policies in general. He visited Damascus in March 2015 at the head of a delegation, where he met with President Assad and several Syrian government officials.
Confidential sources have already confirmed, on the twenty-third of lAugust, according to Athr Press, that the Syrian consulate in Istanbul has not received any request from Bernçek or any Turkish delegation to obtain a visa to enter Syrian territory. This suggests that there will likely be discussions to determine the figures who will be part of the unofficial Turkish delegation visiting Syria.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
