Turkey has no preconditions for dialogue with Syria – foreign minister

Turkish International Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a information convention with German International Minister Annalena Baerbock (not seen) in Istanbul, Turkey, July 29, 2022. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

ANKARA, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Turkey has no preconditions for dialogue with Syria however any talks ought to deal with safety on their border, International Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu mentioned on Tuesday, in an extra softening of Ankara’s stance in direction of Damascus after a decade of hostility.

Turkey has backed rebels preventing to topple Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, and lower diplomatic relations with Damascus early within the 11-year battle.

However the two nations’ intelligence chiefs have maintained contact and up to date feedback from President Tayyip Erdogan’s authorities counsel a transfer in direction of political engagement, alarming Assad’s opponents within the remaining pocket of rebel-held Syria. learn extra

Cavusoglu mentioned two weeks in the past that the Syrian opposition and authorities should be introduced collectively for reconciliation, and Erdogan mentioned diplomatic relations may by no means be totally lower.

After visiting Russia, which has strongly backed Assad, Erdogan mentioned President Vladimir Putin had urged that Turkey cooperate with the Syrian authorities alongside their joint border, the place Erdogan is planning an extra navy incursion in opposition to Syrian Kurdish fighters he says pose a safety menace.

Turkey, which has carried out 4 navy operations in northern Syria since 2016, says it’s making a secure zone the place a few of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees it’s at the moment internet hosting may return.

‘NO CONDITIONS FOR DIALOGUE’

Requested concerning the prospect for any talks, Cavusoglu mentioned they would want to have particular objectives.

“There can’t be a situation for dialogue, however what’s the intention of those contacts? The nation must be cleared of terrorists… Individuals want to have the ability to return,” Cavusoglu advised broadcaster Haber World.

“No circumstances for dialogue, however what’s the intention, the goal? It must be goal-oriented,” he mentioned.

Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov, talking after talks in Moscow together with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad, referred to as for talks involving Turkey and Syria to avert a navy operation.

“The principle factor is to not enable any new navy motion, to barter by diplomatic channels on the premise of the political ideas that beforehand existed in relations between Syria and Turkey,” Lavrov mentioned.

Cavusoglu revealed earlier this month that he briefly spoke with Mekdad final yr on the margins of a world gathering, although he performed down the assembly.

Requested final week about potential talks with Damascus, Erdogan mentioned that diplomacy can by no means be totally severed. There’s a “have to take additional steps with Syria,” he mentioned, in keeping with a transcript of his feedback to Turkish media.

Round 3,000 folks demonstrated on Aug. 12 within the city of Azaz, which is managed by Turkey-backed insurgent forces, pledging to proceed their opposition to Assad. learn extra

Omer Celik, spokesman for Erdogan’s ruling AK Get together, mentioned a political answer may solely be reached when Syria’s authorities adjustments course and the opposition believes {that a} foundation for reconciliation has emerged.

“After all it’s out of the query to speak about any political dialogue till the circumstances that led to the severance of the political relationship (between Turkey and Syria) are eradicated,” Celik mentioned.

Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Dominic Evans; Modifying by Jonathan Spicer and Alistair Bell

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