Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that “no one should be disturbed by the construction of… A new and unified future for Syria“
This came during the Turkish President’s answer to journalists’ questions on board his plane while returning from the US capital, Washington, after participating in the NATO summit.
In response to a question regarding meeting with Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad, Erdogan said that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan “is currently determining the roadmap through his talks with his counterparts and based on that we will take the necessary step, God willing.”
He added: “We believe that a just peace is possible in Syria, and we express at every opportunity that the integrity of Syrian territory is in our interest as well.”
Erdogan explained that “Turkey is the one who will benefit most from a just peace in Syria,” considering that “the most important step in the peace-building process is starting a new era with Syria.”
“This process has developed in a positive direction so far, and I hope we will take concrete steps soon,” he added.
“The United States and Iran should be happy with these positive developments and support the process aimed at ending all suffering (in Syria),” Erdogan said.
He pointed out that Turkey “has been making efforts for years to extinguish the fire that has broken out in its neighbor (Syria), and the most important thing we look forward to is that no one will be disturbed by the climate that will allow Syria to build a new and unified future.”
“We want peace in Syria”
The Turkish President pointed out that “terrorist organizations will inevitably do their utmost to poison this path, and will plan provocations and plot tricks, but we are well aware of all of that and are ready to confront them.”
And he said:We want peace in Syria We expect everyone who supports peace to support this historic call of ours.”
The Turkish President announced on Thursday that he had instructed the Foreign Minister to hold a meeting with Assad and discuss the return of severed relations with Damascus.
Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying that he had extended an official invitation to Assad, either to come to Turkey, or to hold a meeting in a third country without specifying which one.
The Turkish move came after more than 13 years of estrangement following the outbreak of the revolution in Syria, followed by severe tensions between Ankara and Damascus, which reached the point of Turkey demanding the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power.
