TEHRAN: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday that he is prepared to meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad, awaiting a response from Damascus to Ankara’s request.
“We have already expressed our willingness to meet with Bashar Assad to normalize relations between Turkiye and Syria,” Erdogan stated during a press conference before departing for the United States to attend the UN General Assembly.
“We are waiting for the Syrian side to respond. We are ready for it… I believe this meeting will mark a new chapter in our relations,” he added, according to Sputnik.
Relations between Ankara and Damascus deteriorated after the outbreak of war in Syria in 2011. However, efforts to improve ties intensified over the summer, with Assad indicating he would consider a summit with Erdogan if the discussions aligned with Syrian national interests.
