Syria’s’ Assad highlights key demands for restoring ties with Turkey
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated on Sunday that restoring ties with Turkey requires first removing the reasons that led to their destruction, asserting that they will not concede any rights regarding this return.
Al-Assad made these remarks during a speech delivered today in the People’s Assembly on the occasion of the opening of the fourth legislative session.
Al-Assad added that “the current situation is critical globally, and its repercussions in the region push us to work faster to fix what can be fixed without the pain of wounds from the stab of a friend. Thus, we dealt with the initiatives regarding the relationship with Turkey that were presented by more than one party-Russia, Iran, and Iraq.”
He stated about the regional damage that is affecting Syria and the neighboring countries saying “In dealing with these initiatives, we proceeded from our principles and interests which usually do not contrast with neighboring countries if the intentions were harmless, as sovereignty and international law is consistent with the principles of all parties that are serious about restoring the relationship, and combating terrorism is a common interest for both parties.”
The Syrian president added, “We did not occupy the territory of a neighboring country in order to withdraw, nor did we support terrorism in order to stop supporting it. The solution is to be frank and identify the location of the defect, not arrogance.”
He noted that restoring the ties requires first removing the reasons that led to its destruction, adding that “we will not abandon one right of our rights.”
Bashar al-Assad emphasized the crucially of withdrawing the Turkish troops from Syria highlighting “the necessity of Turkey’s withdrawal from the lands it occupies and stop its support for terrorism.”