Iraq made three attempts to arrange a meeting between Syrian and Turkish officials in Baghdad to foster reconciliation, but none of these initiatives succeeded, according to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani.
“Turkey and Syria have been unable to come to the negotiation table, despite three efforts aimed at bridging their differences, with Iraq taking the lead in these attempts,” Al-Sudani stated, as reported by the Iraqi News Agency (INA). He highlighted that a significant sticking point between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Bashar al-Assad is the issue of armed groups. Assad insists on combating all terrorist organizations, not just the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a stance Erdogan reportedly did not support.
Al-Sudani noted that recent developments in Syria were “not surprising” to Iraqi authorities, given the internal situation in the country. He expressed concern over the presence of armed groups and terrorist organizations, including ISIS, in Syria. However, he emphasized that Iraq does not intend to interfere in Syria's internal affairs and is committed to preserving Syria's unity and territorial integrity.
Regarding Syria's internal dynamics, Al-Sudani confirmed that Baghdad has not engaged with Syrian opposition leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa (commonly known as Abu Mohammed Al-Julani). Nevertheless, he acknowledged the emergence of a government in Damascus with a clear agenda for the first time in years. Iraq remains open to collaboration with all sides.
Al-Sudani also confirmed that the Iraqi embassy in Syria, which had been evacuated following an armed opposition takeover, resumed operations, as previously reported by INA on December 8.
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Based on TASS materials