Turkey aims to develop good relations with Syria, Iraq: PM Yildirim

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says his country aims to develop good relations with Syria and Iraq.

Yildirim’s comments during a live broadcast on television on Wednesday came as he was speaking about the need for Turkey to boost its diplomatic ties in the region.

Since taking office in May, Yildirim has repeatedly said that Turkey needs to "increase its friends and decrease its enemies," an apparent tacit admission that past policies have left Ankara sidelined.

"It is our greatest and irrevocable goal: Developing good relations with Syria and Iraq, and all our neighbors that surround the Mediterranean and the Black Sea," Yildirim said.

The apparent change of policy comes in the wake of recent Turkish efforts to warm relations with Russia which is a key supporter of the Syrian government.

"We normalized relations with Russia and Israel. I'm sure we will normalize relations with Syria as well," Yildirim said.

Turkey has long been a staunch opponent of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, allowing militants to freely slip into the Arab country through its borders.

Yildirim said, "For the fight against terrorism to succeed stability needs to return to Syria and Iraq."

Turkey has recently been hit by a series of bombings blamed on Daesh which has established a network across the border in Syria.

SS