Turkiye, Syria summit may take place in third country: Turkish FM
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The Syrian government has made it clear before 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.
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Syrian President Bashar Assad shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the al-Shaab presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, October 11, 2010. (AP)
A summit between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may take place in a third country, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Thursday, for potential normalization of relations.
"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 Turkiye'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 normalization process between the two nations.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry sets conditions for normalization with Turkiye
Syria's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on July 13, 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.
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 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.
Syria's Foreign Ministry also expressed gratitude to the "brotherly parties" who have assisted in facilitating the discussions and efforts toward normalization between Syria and Turkiye.
