Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Turkey Says United, Peaceful Syria Impossible with Assad | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55365507
Caption:

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan gestures during a news conference after his meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul December 3, 2012. REUTERS/Osman Orsal (TURKEY – Tags: POLITICS)


Turkey still believes a united and peaceful Syria is impossible with regime head Bashar al-Assad remaining in power, but wants to proceed “step-by-step” and see the outcome of planned peace talks in Astana, President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman said on Friday.

“Our position on Assad is clear. We don’t believe that a united, peaceful Syria will be possible with Assad remaining in power. But we will see how Astana talks go, we want to go step by step at this point,” Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said.

Speaking to reporters at a roundtable in Ankara, Kalin said fighting in Syria had largely stopped over the past two weeks under a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey.