"Ready" to meet Assad to normalise Turkey-Syria relations: Erdogan

Istanbul: In an effort to restore diplomatic ties between Syria and Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared on Saturday that he was prepared to meet with his counterpart. The statements were made by Erdogan during a press conference in Istanbul prior to his flight to the United States for the 79th United Nations General Assembly.

"We have expressed our willingness to meet with Bashar al-Assad to normalise relations between Turkey and Syria," he said.

"Now we are waiting for a response from the other side. We are ready for this."

The Turkish leader expressed his desire for unity between the two Muslim countries, hoping that a meeting would usher in a new era in their bilateral relations.

"For peace and stability across all Syrian territories, steps that Turkey and Syria can take together are crucial, especially as the Assad regime recognises the opposition's efforts to maintain peace," he noted.

Erdogan said this creates a favourable environment for opening a pathway toward a lasting solution, while millions of people outside Syria await the chance to return home.

After the Syrian civil war began in March 2011, Turkey's relations with Syria significantly deteriorated as Ankara aligned with various opposition factions against the Syrian government.

Since 2015, Turkey has conducted several military operations in Syria, alleging that the Syrian government has supported the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

“The tension in Syria must come to an end. We will clearly state that the instability there, especially due to terrorist organisations and Israel’s state terrorism, must be resolved. This is not ordinary terrorism anymore; it's state terrorism," Erdogan said.

The Turkish President added that he would bring this issue up at the United Nations.

He said, "The steps Turkey and Syria can take together to end this tension and bring peace and stability to all of Syria present a favourable opportunity for a permanent solution. Millions of people outside Syria are waiting to return to their homeland. We have already issued our call on this matter."

Erdogan reiterated that Turkey has time and again expressed its willingness to meet with al-Assad to "normalise" relations between Turkey and Syria.

"We are now waiting for a response from the other side. We are ready. As two Muslim nations, we want to realise this unity and solidarity as soon as possible. I believe that such a meeting will mark the beginning of a new era in the relations between the two countries," he noted.

"For nearly a year, we have all had important roles to play, particularly the United Nations, in ending this oppression, establishing a lasting ceasefire, and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid. We will remind our counterparts of these points during our visit. From the beginning, I have said that Israel's target is not just Gaza. The recent attacks on Lebanon have confirmed our concerns that Israel's government plans to expand the war in the region."

With inputs from IANS