A new chapter with Russian mediation: Are Turkey and Syria close to an agreement?

News that normalization talks between Turkey and Syria, which have been on hold for some time, are set to resume has become a major topic in the Arab press.

Reconciliation efforts between Syria and Turkey have failed to make progress since the beginning of 2023, despite meetings held in Moscow between the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries.

President Erdoğan stated in a speech on July 17 last year, "We are not closed to meeting with Bashar al-Assad; we can meet. The whole issue is their approach toward us. Unfortunately, Assad wants Turkey to withdraw from Northern Syria. Such a thing cannot happen because we are fighting terrorism there."

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, for his part, had said, "Our goal is for Turkey to withdraw from Syrian territory, but in return, Erdoğan's goal is to try to legitimize Turkey's presence in Syria. Therefore, a meeting cannot take place under Erdoğan's conditions. Why would I meet with Erdoğan? To have a drink?"

ANKARA AND DAMASCUS OPPOSE THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION'S ELECTION PLAN

While Syria insists on the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria for normalization, the London-based Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat wrote that the two countries will soon come together under Russian mediation.

The newspaper reported that, according to Turkish sources, normalization talks will continue in the Astana format and that the issue was also raised during the meeting between Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week.

The report stated that the Putin-Fidan meeting also addressed the elections that the terrorist organization PKK/PYD plans to hold in northern Syria, which have been postponed to August.

Sources indicated that Turkey, Russia, and Syria are against this election and that, for this reason, an agreement could be reached on the Ankara-Damascus line.

News that normalization talks between Turkey and Syria, which have been on hold for some time, are set to resume has become a major topic in the Arab press.

Reconciliation efforts between Syria and Turkey have failed to make progress since the beginning of 2023, despite meetings held in Moscow between the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries.

President Erdoğan stated in a speech on July 17 last year, "We are not closed to meeting with Bashar al-Assad; we can meet. The whole issue is their approach toward us. Unfortunately, Assad wants Turkey to withdraw from Northern Syria. Such a thing cannot happen because we are fighting terrorism there."

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, for his part, had said, "Our goal is for Turkey to withdraw from Syrian territory, but in return, Erdoğan's goal is to try to legitimize Turkey's presence in Syria. Therefore, a meeting cannot take place under Erdoğan's conditions. Why would I meet with Erdoğan? To have a drink?"

News Source: 12punto