In the past few months, the Turkish president said he does not rule out a meeting with Assad after more than a decade of severed ties between the two countries.
On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested to Russian President Vladimir Putin for a trilateral meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and trilateral steps on security issues.
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"As of now, we want to take a step as Syria-Türkiye-Russia trio," Erdogan told reporters during his flight back from Turkmenistan when asked about Türkiye's security concerns in Syria.
"For the discussions on this issue, first the intelligence organizations, then the defense ministers, and then foreign ministers of the parties should meet. Let's meet as leaders after their talks. I offered this to Mr. Putin. He viewed it positively," Erdogan added.
Erdogan and Assad have not met since the outbreak of a civil war in Syria in 2011, as Türkiye has backed Syrian rebels politically and militarily during the 11-year crisis.
In the past few months, however, Erdogan said he does not rule out a meeting with Assad after more than a decade of severed ties between the two countries.
Over a quarter of the foreign Nato deployment in Britain, 150 personnel, are from the US.
— Declassified UK (@declassifiedUK) December 15, 2022
Turkey, whose armed forces are occupying northern Syria, has 35 military personnel located in Britain with Nato. pic.twitter.com/zOjEV5bJ4L
On the flight back to Türkiye, Erdogan also urged a quick solution to what he called "a terror threat" posed by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) from Syrian territory to Türkiye.
The 2019 Sochi deal with Russia envisages the withdrawal of YPG fighters to 30 km south of Türkiye's border with Syria, he said, adding his country will "take every step" to establish the "safety corridor."
Türkiye carried out an aerial operation against the YPG in northern Syria and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq on Nov. 20, a week after a bomb explosion in Türkiye's largest city Istanbul killed six and injured 81.
Türkiye will launch a ground operation into northern Syria "at the most convenient time" to build a security strip, Erdogan has vowed several times.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over three decades.
The Chinese government has demanded that #Washington stop plundering #Syria's national resources and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Arab country. @telesurenglish pic.twitter.com/wJ2SOgGGXt
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) September 24, 2022