Russia says serious preparations needed for Syria-Turkey meeting
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Russia's deputy foreign minister says his country supports Syrian-Turkish reconciliation talks but stresses the need for serious preparations.
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Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, and Mikhail Bogdanov, right, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony upon Assad's arrival at Vnukovo airport in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, March 14, 2023 (SANA)
Russia supports the reconciliation effort between Syria and Turkey and the progression of talks between the two parties to mend ties between them, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Friday.
Bogdanov stressed the importance of progressing the negotiation process and preparing for a potential meeting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Bogdanov, also the special presidential envoy for the Middle East and African countries and Deputy Foreign Minister, emphasized Russia's position on the issue. "We are for the process of normalization of interstate relations between Turkey and Syria on the basis of mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty," he said.
He highlighted Russia's role in facilitating this process and expressed the desire for it to continue gaining momentum. "It would be very good if the leaders met. I believe that serious preparations for such a meeting are needed," he added.
When asked about the possibility of hosting such a meeting on Russian soil, Bogdanov clarified that there was no current information regarding this. However, he reaffirmed Russia's readiness to facilitate discussions in Moscow, including trilateral meetings involving representatives from Damascus and Ankara.
Bogdanov also emphasized the involvement of other regional players in the process. "Of course, we are in touch with the Iranians and Iraqis. Iran and Iraq are also very interested in the normalization of relations between Syria and Turkey, which will have a positive impact on the overall situation in Syria and around Syria," he said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced in early August that a summit between the leaders of Syria and Turkey may take place in a third country.
"If the meeting takes place, it will be held in a third country, but there are no details so far," Fidan told the Sabah newspaper, highlighting al-Assad's readiness to meet with Erdogan without preconditions.
"We want the Syrian authorities to have a dialogue with the opposition so that they can start discussing solutions to problems," Fidan said, asserting Turkey's request for Syria to negotiate with the opposition.
The Syrian leader told Erdogan that he would only schedule a meeting if it was in Syria's interest after the Turkish president's invitation to begin the reconciliation process between the two nations.
Syria's conditions for agreement
Syria's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on July 13, outlining the key conditions for any potential reconciliation with Turkey.
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 reconciliation efforts with Turkey should aim to return to the situation as it was before the onset of the war on Syria in 2011.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that this initiative should not be viewed as mere media rhetoric but as a serious, fact-based endeavor grounded in mutual respect for each nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
A central condition for successful reconciliation, 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 reconciliation between the two countries.
The statement further highlighted the importance of joint efforts to combat terrorist groups that pose threats to both Syria and Turkey, noting that addressing these security challenges is a shared responsibility.
Syria's Foreign Ministry also expressed gratitude to the "brotherly parties" who have assisted in facilitating the discussions and efforts toward reconciliation between Syria and Turkey.
