Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has categorically dismissed the prospect of engaging in discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as long as Turkish military forces remain stationed on Syrian soil. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, al-Assad reiterated his stance against negotiations under such circumstances.
"The meeting with [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan will not take place under the conditions Ankara is putting forward," - he emphasized. - "Starting the talks with him [Erdogan] in the current situation would mean recognizing the Turkish occupation of northern Syria."
Al-Assad has accused Turkey of backing terrorist groups throughout the conflict that erupted in Syria in 2011. He asserted that "Ankara bears responsibility for the activities of these militias targeting civilians." Furthermore, he noted, "The nations that sought to sow chaos within Syria also hold accountability for their involvement in drug trafficking."
Earlier, Syrian Minister Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Mekdad urged Ankara to put an end to its military presence in Syria. He asserted that "under the ongoing occupation of the northern regions of Syria, discussing the normalization of relations with Turkey is not feasible."
On April 25, Moscow hosted quadrilateral discussions among the defense ministers of Russia, Iran, Syria and Turkey. They deliberated on practical measures to enhance security within Syria and promote the normalization of Syrian-Turkish relations.
On July 9, Alexander Lavrentiev, the Russian Presidential Special Envoy for the Syrian settlement, mentioned that a meeting between the leaders of Syria and Turkey might take place in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin once the roadmap for the resolution of Syrian-Turkish relations is finalized.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS