The United States has responded with scepticism to reports of a possible reconciliation between Turkey and Syria. “There have been similar reports in the past and nothing has come of them,” a State Department spokesperson told Kurdistan 24 via email. The spokesperson added: “We do not support normalisation, and we will not normalise relations with the Assad regime without real progress towards a political solution to the underlying conflict.”
The US urged that any engagement with the Syrian regime be used to improve the humanitarian, human rights and security situation for Syrians and to achieve the goals of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which demands negotiations to reach a political solution to Syria’s internal conflict.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has recently indicated that he might extend an invitation to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if the latter takes steps to mend relations with Turkey. Erdoğan stated, “If Assad takes a step towards improving relations with Turkey, we will reciprocate accordingly.”
Assad, in his response on 15 July, expressed a positive outlook on normalising relations with Turkey but stressed that the process must adhere to established rules.
The possibility of reviving the stalled normalisation process between Turkey and Syria has gained momentum following recent diplomatic engagements between Ankara, Moscow, and Damascus. The Syrian government insists that the new process should be based on clear foundations, while Ankara expects a positive response from Syria to its normalisation initiatives.
Earlier this month, following tensions between Syrians and Turks over attacks on and looting of Syrian businesses in Turkey, Erdoğan again proposed a meeting with Assad. He mentioned this offer at the NATO summit in Washington last week, saying that the Turkish foreign minister had been instructed to follow it up. Meanwhile, Iraq has agreed to mediate.
However, as anticipated by the State Department, Syria reiterated its position, demanding a Turkish withdrawal from Syria before any meeting. There has been no public response from Turkey, making it unlikely that the two parties will agree on the terms of a summit, as their current positions remain far apart.
Despite Iraq’s interest in mediation, Russia has emerged as the main facilitator in the normalisation process. A Russian diplomat confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Moscow is continuing its efforts to bring Ankara and Damascus closer, with the aim of holding a summit between Erdoğan and Assad. The diplomat expressed optimism that contentious issues would be resolved and expected the summit to take place before the end of the year.
Russian efforts brought Turkish and Syrian officials together through intelligence and foreign ministry meetings in late 2022 and early 2023. However, the process has stalled over Syria’s demand for a Turkish withdrawal from northern Syria.
