Assad on Turkey Relations: 'No Tangible Results Yet'

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed disappointment over the lack of progress in mending ties with Turkey, despite efforts by mediators like Russia, Iran, and Iraq. He emphasized the need for openness and identified the removal of root causes for damaged relations as crucial. Talks with Turkish President Erdogan are possible.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday that efforts to mend ties with Turkey had so far brought no tangible results...

In a speech to the Syrian parliament, Assad pointed out that the initiatives did not yield any results worth mentioning despite the seriousness and genuine keenness of mediators...

Turkey severed ties with Syria in 2011 after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, in which it supported rebels seeking to oust Assad. Assad views the rebels as terrorists...

He stressed that restoring a relationship requires first removing the causes that led to its destruction, noting that while he wants Turkish troops to withdraw from Syria, that was not a precondition for talks...

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said earlier in July he would extend an invitation to Assad 'any time' for possible talks...

Russia and Iraq have been trying to facilitate a meeting between the two leaders in an effort to restore ties...

(With inputs from agencies.)