Syria’s Assad ties rapprochement with Turkey to 'end of occupation'

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has tied a Russian-brokered rapprochement with Turkey to the end of Ankara’s occupation of the northern parts of the Arab country and its support for militant groups wreaking havoc and fighting against the Damascus government.

Assad made the remarks at a meeting with Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev and his accompanying delegation in Damascus on Thursday.

The comment was Assad's first on meetings between officials from Damascus and Ankara after more than a decade of enmity following the breakout of conflict in Syria in March 2011.

Analysts say Moscow is trying to bridge the divide between its two allies, united by a common “enemy” – US-sponsored and Kurdish militants in northern Syria.

Also on Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing in Moscow that a meeting between Russian, Syrian and Turkish foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov, Faisal Mekdad and Mevlut Cavusoglu, is being hammered out, but the date has not yet been set. “There is no concrete date yet. We have already talked about it, such a meeting is in the works,” she said. “We will let you know the details, including the date, the issues to be discussed, the participants and formats as soon as it will be coordinated with the parties.”

Back on December 28 last year, defense ministers of Russia, Turkey and Syria held talks in Moscow in a clear sign of normalization between Ankara and Damascus.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and the head of the country’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Hakan Fidan, met Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas and Syrian intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk along with Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the Turkish Defense Ministry said at the time.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously talked about the possibility of a face-to-face meeting with Assad. That meeting, he said, should be preceded by talks among the heads of the intelligence services, defense and foreign ministers. 

Turkish-language daily newspaper Aydinlik, citing sources, reported on January 10 that Erdogan may meet with Assad before the June presidential election in Turkey. The report said the meeting between the two leaders is expected as part of the third stage of normalization of Turkey-Syria relations.

MG