Syrian and Turkish Efforts to Restore Ties Remains a Work in Progress
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has announced that recent negotiations aimed at restoring relations between Syria and Turkey have yielded no significant results, despite the mediation efforts of several allied countries, including Russia, Iran, and Iraq. Speaking to the Syrian parliament on August 26, Assad emphasized that while mediators were serious and committed, their efforts have not yet borne fruit.
“The solution is openness,” Assad stated, underscoring that the restoration of relations would require addressing the core issues that led to the collapse of ties. Central to Assad’s concerns is Turkey’s occupation of large areas in northern Syria, which Ankara justifies as part of its fight against the US-backed Kurdish militant group, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Assad reiterated Syria’s long-standing demand for Turkey to withdraw its forces and cease support for groups Damascus considers terrorists.
Relations between Syria and Turkey deteriorated after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supported the US and Gulf-backed regime change war against Syria in 2011. Turkish intelligence has since provided aid to extremist groups, including the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the Nusra Front, and ISIS. In recent years, the Turkish military has launched several operations in northern Syria, establishing direct control over swathes of Syrian territory.
Despite these tensions, Assad clarified that the withdrawal of Turkish troops was not a precondition for talks, countering recent claims by Turkish officials. He noted that while Turkey’s ongoing occupation remains a major issue, discussions could still proceed without immediate troop withdrawal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been working to broker a meeting between Assad and Erdogan to repair ties, but Ankara continues to support Syrian opposition forces. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to its proxies, citing their sacrifices in the conflict.
While reports surfaced of a potential meeting between Erdogan and Assad in August, a Turkish diplomat later denied such claims, signaling that significant challenges remain in mending the fractured relationship.
If you value our journalism…
TMJ News is committed to remaining an independent, reader-funded news platform. A small donation from our valuable readers like you keeps us running so that we can keep our reporting open to all! We’ve launched a fundraising campaign to raise the $10,000 we need to meet our publishing costs this year, and it’d mean the world to us if you’d make a monthly or one-time donation to help. If you value what we publish and agree that our world needs alternative voices like ours in the media, please give what you can today.
Author
Related
Islamabad Under Lockdown as Imran Khan Supporters Rally for his Release
Pakistan’s capital Islamabad is under lockdown as tens of thousands of supporters of jailed former…
Putin Warns NATO for Hypersonic Missile Conflict Escalation
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a televised address from the Kremlin on Thursday, outlined Moscow’s…
Soaring Violence in Haiti Leaves Over 150 Dead and 20,000 Displaced: UN
At least 150 people have been killed, 92 injured, and 20,000 displaced in Port-au-Prince over…
