International Courant
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says efforts to revive ties with Turkey have to date yielded no tangible outcomes.
“The initiatives haven’t yielded any important outcomes, regardless of the seriousness and honest efforts of the mediators,” al-Assad stated in a speech to the Syrian parliament on Sunday, referring to latest mediation efforts by Russia, Iran and Iraq.
Turkey severed ties with Syria in 2011 after the outbreak of the Syrian civil battle, which noticed Ankara again rebels looking for to oust Assad.
The Syrian president and his regime have been accused by worldwide our bodies and human rights organizations of committing battle crimes after tens of millions of Syrian civilians fled government-controlled areas and the nation as an entire.
“The answer is openness,” al-Assad stated. “To revive a relationship, the causes that led to its destruction should first be eliminated.”
The Syrian president additionally made it clear that whereas he desires Turkish troops to withdraw from Syria, this isn’t a precondition for talks.
“It isn’t true what some Turkish officers not too long ago introduced, specifically that Syria stated it won’t meet the Turks if there is no such thing as a withdrawal,” al-Assad stated.
“This discuss is much from actuality,” al-Assad added.
In July, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who’s a staunch supporter of the anti-Assad Syrian opposition, stated he would invite Assad “at any time” for doable talks to revive ties.
Al-Assad stated later that month that he was open to assembly Erdogan, however that it might rely upon the “content material” of the assembly, noting that Turkey’s presence in Syria was a serious sticking level.
Russia has tried to facilitate a gathering between the 2 leaders in an try to revive ties. Iraq additionally stated in July that it might attempt to convey the 2 leaders collectively.
A Turkish newspaper beforehand reported that Erdogan and Assad might meet in August, however a Turkish diplomat denied the report.
For the reason that begin of the civil battle, Turkey has been a lifeline for the Syrian opposition and a base for navy and political figures.
The nation can be militarily concerned in areas alongside the border with northern Syria. Ankara sees the presence of the Kurdistan Staff’ Occasion (PKK) and its allies on this area as a serious safety risk that have to be addressed.
The PKK has been waging battle in opposition to the Turkish state since 1984 and is taken into account a “terrorist” group in Turkey, america and the European Union.
Don’t abandon the Syrian opposition
In July, Turkish International Minister Hakan Fidan advised Al Jazeera that the Turkish authorities was pursuing a overseas coverage of “normalization,” a part of Erdogan’s “imaginative and prescient of peace.”
“The area is now in a local weather that seeks peace and stability,” Fidan stated. “The spirit of our instances compels us to hunt peace and stability.”
Nevertheless, he burdened that this coverage doesn’t imply abandoning the Syrian opposition.
“We’re not altering our place on the Syrian opposition. The Syrian opposition’s relations with the regime are primarily based on their very own free resolution, their very own free selection,” Fidan stated, earlier than mentioning that opposition fighters had fought alongside Turkish troops to guard Turkey’s safety.
“It isn’t doable for us to neglect this sacrifice. … It’s out of the query for us to neglect these sacrifices and abandon them,” Fidan added.
However inside Turkey, anti-Syrian sentiment continues to develop, placing the Turkish authorities in a tough place.
Turkey hosts 3.6 million registered Syrian refugees – the best quantity on the planet.
Though Erdogan nonetheless helps providing asylum to Syrians, their future is a frequent subject in Turkish political debates, with a few of Erdogan’s opponents promising to ship them again to Syria.
Syrian al-Assad says rapprochement makes an attempt with Turkey have failed | Information from Turkey-Syria border
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