Russia receives serious signals for Turkiye-Syria talks: Lavrov
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The Russian foreign minister reveals that Russia has received serious indications regarding Syria and Turkiye's desire to normalize relations after negotiations were halted.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during a joint press conference following the talks with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yassine Fall in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, August 29, 2024. (AP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow is receiving serious indications from Damascus and Ankara about their interest in restarting discussions to normalize relations between Syria and Turkiye.
Some meetings were convened last year in Moscow involving the foreign and defense ministries, as well as security agencies, as part of a four-party framework including Russia, Iran, Syria, and Turkiye, according to Lavrov. However, differences in the positions of Damascus and Ankara have caused a halt in negotiations.
"We will actively promote re-launching the negotiation process as soon as possible, because both capitals signal that they are quite interested in resuming the dialogue," the Russian diplomat told the Hurriyet newspaper.
Syria sets conditions for normalization with Turkiye
In July, Syria's Foreign Ministry issued a statement outlining the key conditions for any potential normalization of relations with Turkiye.
The statement said that the process must focus on restoring the pre-2011 status in Syria, based on mutual respect, and addressing shared security threats.
In its statement, the Syrian government made it clear that any normalization efforts with Turkiye should aim to return to the situation as it was before the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
A central condition for successful normalization, according to the statement, is the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syrian territories. The Syrian government insists that this step is crucial for achieving genuine normalization between the two countries.
The statement further highlighted the importance of joint efforts to combat terrorist groups that pose threats to both Syria and Turkiye, noting that addressing these security challenges is a shared responsibility.
