No negotiations, no contacts with Turkey – Syria’s FM
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – On Sunday, Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Faisal Mekdad, denied the existence of any negotiations with Turkey, at a time talks increased about normalization between Turkey and Syria.
Mekdad said, in a press statement to the Russian Sputnik, “There are no negotiations, there are no contacts, there is nothing at least on the level of foreign ministers.”
Mekdad’s speech comes following reports about rapprochement and meetings between leaders of the two countries, some took place and others are possible.
Ten days ago, a report published by Reuters revealed about a meeting between Chief of the National Intelligence Organization of Turkey, Hakan Fidan, and head of the National Security Bureau of Syria, Ali Mamlouk, in the Syrian capital in early September.
On August 11, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlut Cavusoglu, called for reconciliation between the Syrian government and the opposition, a call that was seen as a Turkish shift and change in policy towards Syria.
“We have to somehow bring opposition and the regime in Syria together to reach an agreement. Otherwise, there will be no lasting peace,” he added.
As a result, areas held by Turkey and the opposition witnessed anger demonstrations against the Turkish proposal describing it as “betrayal.”
As protesters set the Turkish flag on fire, a thing that angered the opposition and held it to vow to hold those who insulted the flag accountability.