US State Department issues 'we do not support' statement
As steps toward normalization have recently been taken between Turkey and Syria, a statement on the matter has come from the US. In a statement made by the US State Department, it was indicated that the US does not support normalization efforts between Turkey and Syria.
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Responding to a question regarding the ongoing normalization efforts between Turkey and Syria, a spokesperson for the US State Department stated that they do not support the normalization.
A spokesperson for the department replied, "We see reports of normalization between Turkey and Syria. The United States does not support these normalization efforts."
Continuing the statement, the spokesperson noted that there would be no normalization with the Assad regime as long as the Syrian issue does not reach a political solution, saying, "As the US, we will not normalize relations with the Assad regime unless we see serious progress toward a political solution to this problem. We have called on all countries that have relations with the Syrian regime to use these relations to improve the humanitarian situation, human rights, and security situation of Syrians, and to achieve the goals of UN Resolution 4456."
On the other hand, AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to give positive messages regarding normalization.
Speaking after today's cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara regarding meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the normalization of Turkey-Syria relations, Erdoğan stated in his message that the meeting taking place is a "necessity."
Erdoğan said, "We attach great importance to increasing the number of our friends. In a period when the struggle for influence among major powers is accelerating, establishing new equations in foreign policy is more than a preference for Turkey; it is a necessity. We see that other countries, along with our neighbors, are also in need of these openings. We believe there is benefit in opening clenched fists."