Turkish FM: Turkey is ready to normalize relations with Syria, similar to the normalization of relations with countries in the region

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed his country's readiness to normalize relations with Syria along the lines of normalizing relations with countries in the region. Fidan said in a televised interview: There are steps that Turkey must take in cooperation with the Syrian state on several issues, including borders and terrorism, in addition to the safe and free return of refugees, stressing Ankara's readiness to begin dialogue. He added: The issue of the Syrian opposition, and the areas it controls, are all issues that must be discussed within the framework of the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the viewpoint and preferences of the legitimate Syrian opposition recognized by the international community and the international system are the basis. The Turkish Foreign Minister indicated that the two countries have held talks through multiple channels since 2017, considering that "the ongoing period of calm of 6-7 years must be transformed from a temporary state to a more permanent state." He stressed the need to "cleanse Syria of terrorism, especially the Arab areas occupied by the Kurdistan Workers' Party, where there are oil facilities seized by the organization," considering that there is "a terrorist organization that has usurped the resources of the Syrian people." He pointed out that the Syrian opposition participated with the regime in the work of drafting a new constitution for the country in Geneva, and this work must proceed properly. In fact, the UN Security Council, through Resolution 2254, presented a brief and clear road map for internal consensus, and we support the work of both parties within the framework of this map. Regarding Damascus's condition for the departure of Turkish forces from Syria, Fidan pointed out that "so far there is no precondition that has been communicated. Basically, we have some issues in our perspective, and there are some issues in their perspective." Fidan said: 'If we set conditions for each other before we talk, there is no point in talking at all.' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had previously announced his readiness to meet Bashar al-Assad in Turkey or in another country to turn the page on the past, and he assigned his Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to organize this meeting. Source: National Iraqi News Agency