Turkey’s Erdogan shows willingness to restore relations with Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday there is no obstacle preventing Turkey and Syria from restoring diplomatic relations.
“There is no reason why (diplomatic ties) should not be established,” Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul after Friday prayers.
Erdogan’s comments came just days after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made similar remarks, indicating a willingness to normalize relations with Turkey.
This came when al-Assad received Russian President’s Special Envoy on Syria Alexander Lavrentiev in Damascus on June 26.
“Syria is open to all initiatives regarding Syrian-Turkish relations as long as they are based on respect for the sovereignty of the Syrian State over all its territory and the fight against all forms of terrorism and its organizations,” al-Assad said.
Erdogan told reporters that Turkey respects the sovereignty of the Syrian government.
“There is no question of us having the aim of interfering in Syria’s internal affairs,” the Turkish president added. “The people of Syria are our brothers.”
Relations between the two countries have been cut off since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011 when Turkey chose to support the opposition against the Syrian government following by military intervention through launching invasions and occupying Syrian territories in northern country.