Syria–Türkiye normalization talks yield ‘no results’: Assad

The Cradle, August 26, 2024 — 

Türkiye continues to occupy territory in northern Syria and support mercenary groups to fight alongside its troops

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated that recent negotiations to restore relations between Syria and Turkiye have not brought any results, despite the mediation efforts of several allied countries.

“The initiatives did not yield any results worth mentioning despite the seriousness and genuine keenness of mediators,” Assad said on 26 August in a speech to the Syrian parliament, referring to recent conciliation efforts by Russia, Iran, and Iraq.

“The solution is openness,” Assad said. “Restoring a relationship requires first removing the causes that led to its destruction.”

“Syria constantly stresses the necessity of Turkiye’s withdrawal from the lands it occupies and stop its support for terrorism,” Assad said.

Turkiye is occupying large swathes of northern Syria under the pretext of battling the US-backed Kurdish militant group, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which itself occupies large parts of north and east Syria.

Relations between the two countries collapsed due to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s participation in the US, Israeli, and Gulf-backed regime change war launched against Syria in 2011.

Turkish intelligence provided weapons, funding, and training for extremist mercenaries waging war against Assad’s government in Damascus, including the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and ISIS.

After years of war, the Turkish army occupied parts of northern Syria directly during several large operations in 2016, 2018, and 2019 and continues to support Syrian mercenary groups comprised of former FSA, Nusra, and ISIS members.

The Syrian President also made clear in his comments on Sunday that while he wants Turkish troops to withdraw from Syria, that was not a condition for talks.

“It’s not correct what was announced by some Turkish officials recently, that Syria said if there is no withdrawal, it will not meet with the Turks,” Assad said. “This talk is far from reality,” he added.

In July, Erdogan said he would extend an invitation to Assad “any time” for possible talks to restore relations.

Assad said later that month that he was open to meeting Erdogan, but it depended on the encounter’s “content,” noting Turkiye’s ongoing illegal occupation of Syrian territory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has good relations with both Erdogan and Assad and has been trying to facilitate a meeting between the two leaders to restore ties. Iraq has also helped facilitate negotiations.

But Ankara remains committed to supporting its proxies in Syria.

“We are not changing our position regarding the Syrian opposition. The Syrian opposition’s relations with the regime are based on their own free decision, their own free choice,” Fidan said while acknowledging these groups fight alongside the Turkish army.

“It is not possible for us to forget this sacrifice … It is out of the question for us to forget these sacrifices and let them down,” Fidan added.

A Turkish newspaper earlier reported Erdogan and Assad could meet in August, but a Turkish diplomat denied the report.