Syrian President Bashar al-al-Assad announced on Monday that he is open to meeting his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan if such a meeting would serve the interests of the Syrian state. 

In discussing the restoration of relations with Turkey, President al-Assad stated, "If meeting President Erdogan leads to results, or if a rapprochement achieves the country's interests, I will do it."

He emphasized that the issue is not the meeting itself but its content, noting that while the meeting might be important as a means to an end, "we have not heard what the goal is or what the solution to the problem is."

Al-Assad questioned why relations deviated from their natural course 13 years ago and noted that no Turkish official had openly addressed this point. He stressed that the meeting was merely a means to an end, requiring clear rules and references, and warned that the failure of this means at some stage might lead to worse outcomes and higher costs.

"We are positive about any initiative to improve the relationship, which is natural. No one thinks of creating problems with their neighbors, but this does not mean we proceed without rules," al-Assad added.

Al-Assad clarified that Syria insists on the necessity of the meeting, regardless of the level. He mentioned ongoing meetings at the security level facilitated by some intermediaries, where Syria was positive.

He assured that any meeting with the Turkish side would be announced publicly and stressed that there have been no results due to a lack of political will. He posed the critical question of whether the meeting's reference would involve addressing the root causes of the problem, namely support for terrorists and the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian territories.

"If there is no discussion about this essence, then what does the meeting mean? We aim for actions that yield results. We are not against any meeting or other measure as long as it achieves positive outcomes for Syria and Turkey at the same time," al-Assad said.

Al-Assad criticized the term "normalization" of relations, describing it as coercive. He argued that relations with a neighboring country with centuries-old ties should be inherently normal.

"If we want to achieve natural relations, which we strive for in Syria regardless of what happened, can occupation be part of natural relations between countries? Can supporting terrorism be part of natural relations between countries? This is impossible," he asserted.

The Syrian President also went on to highlight that if natural relations with Turkey are to be achieved, all abnormal elements, such as occupation, terrorism, violation of international law, and disrespect for the sovereignty of neighboring and other states, must be addressed and eliminated.

"When abnormal elements are eradicated, the relationship will be natural without normalization and without coercive measures," he added. "It will naturally return to what it was before the war, especially since these natural relations have proven that border security, which Turkish officials talk about, comes from these natural relations as it was previously."

Al-Assad highlighted that the borders were calm and Syria consistently adhered to its commitments for over a quarter of a century regarding border security and counter-terrorism. He expressed that this is the perspective from which Syria views natural relations with Turkey.

He mentioned that Syria's allies understand this position and have known it since the first initiative five years ago. Although the discourse around initiatives is new, the beginnings date back five years, during which Syria has maintained the same stance: "Remove the causes, and the results will follow. No need for political or media theatrics."

The Syrian leader emphasized that natural relations will be achieved with the support of Syria's allies. He noted that what Syria demands is a right under international law, which cannot be opposed.

While countries friendly with Syria might occasionally request certain measures, these are open to dialogue and discussion. However, measures are different from principles, which are non-negotiable as they form the foundation of national interests.

"We do not set conditions or demands; rather, we speak of requirements, which is a different term," Assad explained. "Anything in the world, if we want it to achieve sound results, must have the appropriate environment—what we call requirements. If there is a political relationship, it needs specific requirements to achieve its results."

Assad elaborated that the requirements they speak of are dictated by the nature of relations between countries, expressed through international law.

He stressed the importance of addressing the past openly and learning from political mistakes that have caused immense destruction and loss of life, to lay the foundations for a future free from such pitfalls for future generations.

"No guarantees have been given to us, so we proceed positively but based on clear principles, which include international law and sovereignty," Assad asserted. "If we do not achieve positive results, the outcomes will be negative. Some say we won't lose anything, but in this case, either everyone wins or everyone loses; there is no middle ground."

Al-Assad concluded by reiterating the emphasis on principles and requirements, stating that this is driven by a desire for the success of the process, not stubbornness or hesitation. "We have no hesitation or arrogance. We are striving for positive results for Syria, Turkey, and our allies," he said.

Syria-Turkey talks looming closer

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein revealed on Friday that a preliminary agreement had been reached with Syria and Turkey to hold a meeting between the two countries' officials in Baghdad.

"There is communication at the level of the Iraqi leadership with the Syrian and Turkish sides, and the date will be determined after returning to Baghdad," Hussein said in a statement he made from Washington.

Earlier on Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had instructed Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "to start restoring relations between the two countries," adding that "Fidan is authorized to organize a meeting with President Assad in a third country."

Erdogan said that he invited al-Assad two weeks ago to hold a meeting either in Turkey or in a third country to start a new process and overcome the tension in relations between the two countries.

This comes after Erdogan hinted on Sunday that Turkey would invite al-Assad "at any moment" for possible talks to restore relations between the two neighbors.

Al-Assad had previously expressed his openness to all initiatives related to the relationship between Syria and Turkey that are based on the sovereignty of the Syrian state over all its territories and the fight against terrorism and its organizations.

Syria emphasizes that the prerequisite for any Syrian-Turkish dialogue is Ankara's announcement of its readiness to withdraw from the Syrian territories it occupies.