Turkey is aiming to elevate its discussions with Syria to a higher level as part of its efforts to normalize relations with its neighbor. This intent is highlighted in an article by the Hurriyet newspaper, which indicates that the Syrian matter will feature prominently during the anticipated visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkey, expected at the close of August.
The normalization process between Ankara and Damascus began taking shape when Hakan Fidan led Turkey's National Intelligence Organization, and he now heads the foreign ministry. Following a series of quadrilateral dialogues involving Turkey, Russia, Syria and Iran at the levels of defense and foreign ministries, plans were made for a direct meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad in April-May 2023, though this meeting ultimately did not occur.
Columnist Abdulkadir Selvi of Hurriyet suggests that the potential summit might have faced obstacles due to al-Assad's expectations, as he was reportedly anticipating the victory of opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Turkey's presidential election. "From what is now evident, al-Assad has recognized his misjudgment and now has a renewed opportunity [for normalization]. If the meeting between Erdogan and al-Assad takes place, it would mark a crucial turning point in the process of normalizing relations between the two countries, and al-Assad would stand to gain the most," the journalist notes.
Ankara's relations with Damascus experienced tensions during the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011, as the inflow of Syrian refugees into Turkey led to escalated diplomatic strains, resulting in the severing of formal diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Erdogan disclosed on December 15, 2022, that he proposed to Putin the idea of a trilateral meeting involving the Syrian leader. He suggested that this summit be preceded by discussions involving representatives from intelligence services, defense, and foreign ministries.
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Based on materials from TASS