Breaking the Ice: Erdoğan Signals Historic Meeting with Syria’s al-Assad
Turkish President Erdoğan Addresses Regional Tensions Ahead of UN General Assembly
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at a press conference held at the Atatürk Airport State Hotel before his visit to the United States for the 79th United Nations General Assembly.
Erdoğan emphasized the importance of dialogue with other countries amid rising regional tensions, particularly in Syria. He stressed that the tension in Syria must end and that the instability there must be resolved, especially due to terrorist organizations and Israeli state terrorism.
“The steps that Turkey and Syria can take together to end this tension and bring peace and stability to Syria all present a favorable opportunity for a lasting solution. Millions of people outside Syria are waiting to return to their homeland. We have already issued our call on this matter,” Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan reiterated Turkey’s willingness to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to “normalize” relations between Turkey and Syria. “We are now waiting for a response from the other side. We are ready. As two Muslim nations, we want to realize this unity and solidarity as soon as possible. I believe that such a meeting will mark the beginning of a new era in the relationship between the two countries,” he noted.
Erdoğan also addressed the recent attacks on Lebanon, stating that Israel’s actions have confirmed concerns that the Israeli government intends to expand the war in the region. He criticized Israel’s behavior, saying that it is behaving “not as a state, but as a terrorist organization” with its attacks.
“Israel has shown that it has no regard for civilian sensitivities and that it is prepared to use any means to achieve its hateful goals. Another implication of this attack is that, despite all our warnings, and with the support of some Western countries, Israel is unfortunately expanding the conflict to Lebanon and the wider region,” Erdoğan said.
Regarding his upcoming visit to the United States, Erdoğan noted that there was no planned bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden but added, “However, we may come together on several occasions.”