Erdogan to invite Bashar al-Assad to re-establish ties

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Al-Assad, in a bid to reconcile relations between the two neighbouring countries that have been broken since the Syrian war began in 2011. The influx of millions of Syrian refugees into Turkey worsened and intensified relations between Ankara and Damascus.

"We will extend our invitation (to Assad); with this invitation, we want to restore Turkey-Syria relations to the same level as in the past. Our invitation can be extended at any time," Erdogan said in a presidential statement during the flight from Berlin where he watched the Netherlands-Turkey Euro 2024 quarter-final match. 

Among the conditions Syria is imposing for reconciliation is the withdrawal of Turkish troops from northwestern Syria, which is currently controlled by rebels. Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, Turkey has conducted several cross-border military operations against militants who, Erdogan said, threaten its national security and has established a "safe zone" in northern Syria, where Turkish troops are currently stationed. 

According to UN figures, more than 3.2 million Syrian refugees live in Turkey

The Turkish president's meeting in Baghdad, Iraq's capital, could represent "the beginning of a long process that could lead to political agreements on the ground". The presence of China and Russia as observers could be an element to follow in the negotiations. The Turkish president also mentioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al Sudani could help facilitate contacts. 

Although the relationship between Erdogan and Assad has never been friendly, Turkey's military presence in northern Syria where it supports positions in Aleppo and Idlib is still quite strong. This is not the first attempt at reconciliation between Turkey and Syria. 

Last year, with Iraq as mediator, Bashar al-Assad was urged to hold talks with the aim of bringing positions closer together, especially in the area of defence and security. Some of the meetings were held in Moscow between the Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Syria, Russia and Iran, as well as that of the defence ministers, although none of them achieved their objectives.

According to Turkey's Daily Sabah, Erdogan's words on the possible invitation were: "We have reached a point where, if Bashar al-Assad takes a step towards better relations with Turkey, we will respond with the same openness".

According to Al-Ain, the advisor to the Syrian Council of Ministers Presidency, Abdul Qader Azouz, confirmed that Erdogan's invitation will be key to "turning the page" and overcoming the differences between the two countries. Azouz insisted that reconciliation is in Turkey's hands. 

He added that "Syria supports all resolutions and efforts that are based on strict compliance with international law and commitment to good neighbourly relations". He clarified that the intention to hold the meeting in Baghdad is because both countries - Syria and Iraq - share instability on their borders with the rest of the neighbouring countries, as well as being interested in the normalisation of relations in the Middle East region.