Moscow initiates roadmap for normalization of Turkish-Syrian relations

Baku/10.05.23/Turan: Russia's foreign minister hosted talks on Wednesday with counterparts from Turkey, Syria, and Iran, marking the highest-level contact between Ankara and Damascus in over a decade.

The talks aimed to draft a road map for normalizing Turkish-Syrian relations, with Russia hoping to consolidate political progress and determine general guidelines for further movement.

Russia has spent years trying to help Syrian President Bashar Assad rebuild ties with Turkey and other countries fractured by the 12-year-long Syrian civil war.

Turkey has backed armed opposition groups seeking to remove Assad from power, but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now under pressure to send Syrian refugees back amid an economic downturn and increasing anti-refugee sentiment.

Despite Syria's goal to end all "illegal" military presences in the country, including Turkish forces, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad stated that both Syria and Turkey share goals and common interests.

The Arab League has also agreed to reinstate Syria, and Saudi Arabia announced the reopening of diplomatic missions in Syria.