Damascus Wants Guarantees On Turkish Withdrawal From Syrian Territory – Report
Turkish forces are seen near Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria January 23, 2018. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Damascus wants guarantees of a Turkish withdrawal from Syrian territory before any new meeting with Ankara, the Al-Watan reported on March 13.
The Syrian daily, which is close to decision makers in Damascus, denied Turkish reports that said a date had been set for a meeting between senior diplomats from Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria in Moscow.
A report by the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency said that the meeting will be held on March 15 with the participation of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar, senior Iranian foreign ministry advisor Ali Asghar Khaji and Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Susan.
“There are no specific dates yet for the four-way meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Syria, Russia, Iran and Turkey,” Al-Watan quoted sources with knowledge on the matter as saying.
Al-Watan’s sources stressed that Damascus is open to all efforts aimed at building dialogue with Ankara in accordance with certain priorities, the most urgent of which is the “restoration of its occupied lands.”
The sources added that the door for dialogue with Ankara is still open, noting a recent statement by Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in which he stressed that his country’s presence in Syria is only meant to combat terrorist groups and secure the border.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad discussed preparations for the four-way meeting with Iranian foreign minister Hussein Amir Abdollahia during a meeting in Damascus last week. At the time, the president said that the interests of the Syrian people should be the basis for any new steps towards Ankara.
The Turkish-Syrian normalization process gained momentum last December, when the defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of the two countries met in Moscow. However, it came to a halt in February as a result of the devastating earthquake that left more than 50,000 dead in both countries.
Al-Watan’s report does not imply that Damascus is not looking for a Turkish withdrawal before any meeting with Ankara, but rather for a timeline for a withdrawal that can be put into action once relations are restored.
President Assad, who is currently paying an extended visit to Moscow, will reportedly discuss the issues facing the Turkish-Syrian normalization process with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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