Syrian President Bashar Assad said there would be no meeting with Turkish President Erdogan on his terms, and that his son Hafez was out of politics.
Assad’s remarks came during an exclusive interview with Sky News Arabia, which will be broadcast on Wednesday evening.
Assad added in a new attack on the Turkish government, as a source of what he described as terrorism in Syria, saying: Terrorism in Syria is a Turkish industry.
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Assad considered that the Turkish president’s goal in sitting with him is to legitimize the presence of the Turkish occupation in Syria, adding: Without preparation, I mean, without results, why do we meet Erdogan, in order to drink refreshments, for example.
Meetings have already taken place between the foreign ministers of the Syrian and Turkish regimes under the auspices of Russia, in preparation for a possible meeting between Erdogan and Assad, which requires the withdrawal of Turkish forces from northwestern Syria in exchange for the meeting, but Turkish officials have stated – more than once – that this is not possible.
In July, the Turkish president said that Bashar Assad wants Turkey to leave northern Syria, there can be no such thing, explaining: We are fighting terrorism there where there is a threat to Turkish national security.
Bashar Assad: My son is out of politics
In his Sky News interview, Bashar Assad discussed his son, Hafez, emphasizing that their relationship primarily revolves around family matters, and he does not engage in conversations regarding governance matters with him. Assad also noted that Hafez keeps his distance from political affairs.
Addressing the topic of relinquishing power, Assad expressed that the notion of stepping down was never a consideration. He mentioned that stepping down could be interpreted as an evasion tactic due to the ongoing war circumstances.
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In his Sky News interview, Bashar Assad discussed his son, Hafez, emphasizing that their relationship primarily revolves around family matters, and he does not engage in conversations regarding governance matters with him. Assad also noted that Hafez keeps his distance from political affairs.
Addressing the topic of relinquishing power, Assad expressed that the notion of stepping down was never a consideration. He mentioned that stepping down could be interpreted as an evasion tactic due to the ongoing war circumstances.
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.
