ISTANBUL, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday that he is ready to meet with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to normalize relations between the two countries.
Erdogan made the remarks at a press conference in Istanbul before his departure for the United States to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
"We have expressed our willingness to meet with Bashar al-Assad to normalize relations between Türkiye 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 Türkiye and Syria can take together are crucial, especially as the Assad regime recognizes the opposition's efforts to maintain peace," he noted.
Erdogan said this creates a favorable 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, Türkiye's relations with Syria significantly deteriorated as Ankara aligned with various opposition factions against the Syrian government.
Since 2015, Türkiye has conducted several military operations in Syria, alleging that the Syrian government has supported the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). ■
