Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has given the green light for initiating high-level normalization negotiations with Turkey, according to a report by the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet on Tuesday. Assad made this announcement during his recent speech at the People’s Assembly.
Green Light
In an article titled “Green Light from Bashar al-Assad to Meet: Turkish Military Withdrawal is Not a Prerequisite,” the Turkish newspaper “Hurriyet” reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has given the green light for high-level meetings between Syria and Turkey aimed at normalization. Assad’s recent speech was described as “positive,” as he did not make the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria a precondition for starting negotiations.
The report noted that Assad’s decision to drop the withdrawal condition coincides with increasing signs of normalization between Ankara and Damascus, which has “gained significant momentum recently, thanks to Russian mediation.” It also mentioned that Assad’s “moderate” response came in reaction to positive statements from senior Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Two days ago, the Russian news agency Novosti quoted a Turkish diplomatic source suggesting that negotiations between Assad and Erdogan in a third country are not ruled out, though there are no details yet regarding the timing or location of such a meeting.
Withdrawal is not a condition
On Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad addressed the latest developments in normalization efforts with Turkey during a speech at the People’s Assembly. He refuted claims by Turkish officials that Syria had insisted on the withdrawal of Turkish forces as a precondition for starting normalization talks. Assad stated, “It is not true what some Turkish officials say, that Syria has said if the withdrawal does not occur, we will not meet with the Turks. This talk is far from reality. We are working on this issue systematically; the important thing is that we have clear steps.”
Instead of demanding a withdrawal, Assad proposed a preliminary roadmap for normalizing relations with Turkey, emphasizing the importance of having a shared reference point between the two sides. He suggested that the lack of such a reference was why previous meetings had failed to yield results.
Earlier, Turkish officials had made positive statements regarding the path to normalization with Damascus. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned that there was “no reason not to establish diplomatic relations” and restore ties to how they were in the past. He added that an invitation to meet with Assad could be extended at any time and that he would respond to any positive steps, “once Bashar Assad takes a step toward improving relations with Turkey.”
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.
