Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “There is no obstacle preventing the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Assad regime.”
Erdogan’s statements came after performing Friday prayers at Hazrat Ali Mosque in the Uskudar district of Istanbul.
Erdogan added: “We will work to develop relations with Bashar al-Assad, as we did in the past, and we have no goal or intention to interfere in the Syria’s internal affairs, because the Syrian people are our brothers.”
Erdogan pointed out: “He held several meetings with Bashar al-Assad in the past, and even family meetings, explaining that there is nothing preventing talks from taking place in the future, but it can happen again.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously made similar statements in July of last year, in which he expressed his country’s readiness to rapprochement with the Assad regime, on the condition that the regime was prepared to do so.
Erdogan said in his statements: “Unfortunately, al-Assad demands Turkey’s exit from northern Syria, such a thing cannot happen because we are fighting terrorism there. We are not closed to meeting with al-Assad, and we can meet, but what is important is how (the regime) approaches our positions.”
Erdogan added: “These organizations constantly threaten Turkish territories. Is Syria demanding the departure of other countries’ forces? Of course we do not expect a fair stance from Syria, and when it takes a fair stance then we can overcome all these problems.”
