Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today signaled that he may extend an invitation to Syrian President Bashar Assad for a visit to Turkey, the Anatolian Agency reported specifically for BTA.
Together with Russian President Vladimir Putin, we may extend an invitation to Bashar Assad, the Turkish head of state told journalists on the plane back from Astana, where he participated in the two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
If Mr. Putin is able to visit Turkey, it could be the start of a new process, Erdogan said.
The past years in Syria have clearly shown everyone the need to establish a lasting solution, the Turkish leader said, referring to the Arab country's civil war since 2011.
He stressed that Syria is in dire need of recovery and stability.
The problem is that instability in the region provides space for terrorist organizations, especially the PKK/SZN (Kurdish Workers' Party/People's Defense Forces), Erdogan said.
The elimination of these terrorist organizations is of great importance for the future of Syria, Erdogan said, calling for the establishment of democratic foundations and peace initiatives based on the maintenance of the country's territorial integrity.
We have always extended and will continue to extend a friendly hand to our neighbor Syria. We will support a prosperous, united Syria, said the Turkish president.
He added that terrorist groups such as the PKK and its offshoots are worried about Ankara's renewed ties with Damascus.
Regarding the recent incident in the Turkish city of Kayseri that led to violence and negative social media posts against Syrians, Erdogan said some elements aim to use racism to disrupt unity, but the authorities will deal with them.