Turkish statements contradict its “occupation” – Senior Syrian official
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Ayman Susan, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian government, said on Tuesday that Turkish statements regarding Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity contradict its “continued occupation” of Syrian territories.
Susan’s remarks came during a meeting of deputy foreign ministers of Syria, Russia, Iran, and Turkey as part of the 20th round of the Astana talks on Syria, which takes place on June 20-21 in the Kazakh capital, Astana. This first meetings of this round focused on the Damascus-Ankara normalization efforts.
Susan added during the meeting that any progress should be contingent on Turkey’s withdrawal from Syrian territories, according to a clear timeline and specific steps.
Addressing this issue, he said, is essential for discussing other issues such the return of refugees, combating terrorism in all its forms, and bilateral relations between the two countries.
He also pointed out that Turkey’s “continued occupation” of Syrian territories violates international law and the most basic requirements of bilateral relations.