Erdogan open to rapprochement with Syrian ruler Assad
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has openly expressed his interest in reconciliation with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. His government can invite Assad "at any time," Erdogan told journalists of the state news agency Anadolu on the return flight from the UEFA European Championship quarterfinals in Berlin on Sunday. Erdogan hinted that heads of state, including Assad's ally Russian President Vladimir Putin, had suggested a meeting between him and Assad in Turkey.
"We have reached a point where, as soon as Baschar al-Assad takes a step towards improving relations with Turkey, we will adopt the same stance towards him," Erdogan added. Turkey broke off relations with its neighbor Syria following the outbreak of the civil war in 2011. The conflict, which began when Assad violently suppressed protests, has so far resulted in the deaths of over 500,000 people, displacement of millions of Syrians, and significant damage to the country's infrastructure and industry.
Initially, Turkey aimed to topple Assad's regime during the conflict. However, Ankara's focus shifted to preventing an extensive autonomous Kurdish region from emerging in the northern part of Syria bordering Turkey. Erdogan had warned of a "terror corridor" in 2019. Since 2020, the Turkish military has deployed soldiers in northern Syria and, with Syrian militia support, controls two large areas along the border.
In the past week, violent anti-Turkish protests occurred in these areas, resulting in the deaths of seven people. The protests were triggered by demonstrations against Turkish institutions in several Syrian cities. Erdogan accused the Turkish opposition of instigating the unrest and referred to "dirty hands" behind the protests in northern Syria, without providing specific details.
Turkey has taken in around 3.2 million Syrian refugees since the start of the Syrian civil war. The handling of these refugees has been a central political issue in Turkey for some time. Turkish opposition politicians have called for the refugees to be returned to Syria.
Erdogan himself has recently hinted at the possibility of a fresh start in relations with Machthaber Assad. His government is also working on options for the voluntary return of Syrians to their homeland.
Erdogan's statement suggests that at any point, the Turkish government could approach Assad for reconciliation, aligning their stance with improvements in their relationship. Furthermore, Erdogan's potential meeting with Assad has been suggested by various rulers, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.
