Syria Sets the Stage for Normalization: Turkey’s Withdrawal a Prerequisite for Peace Talks

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The adviser of the President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, Bouthaina Shaaban, has set some conditions for Turkey for the talks about normalization that the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been calling for.

“We said that Turkey should accept the condition of withdrawing from Syrian territory. We did not say that they should withdraw immediately, but if they do not want to accept this principle, we will not sit at the table,” Shaaban said according to reports from Al-Arab.

Erdoğan on 21 September once again called for the normalization of relations. “As two Muslim countries, we want to realize this unity and solidarity as soon as possible,” he said.

Shaaban said that the Turkish authorities are using this issue “for their own interests,” and added that “Today, Turkey is occupying part of our territory, a valuable, valuable and rich part of northwestern Syria, and is carrying out a process Dangerous Turkification. “

“When Erdoğan made statements in the run-up to the Turkish presidential elections talking about his desire for a rapprochement with Syria, it was to win the election, but they offered nothing. They want to continue what they are doing on the ground, occupying our territory, wreaking havoc, attacking the Kurds,” he said.

On several occasions, Erdoğan called for a meeting with Assad to discuss the normalization of relations, which Ankara severed after the Syrian war in 2011. But, Assad has said that such talks could only happen if the neighbors focus on issues core, including the withdrawal of Turkish forces from northern Syria.