Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Eugene

(61,592 posts)
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 01:57 PM Jul 2016

Syrian rebels stunned as Turkey signals normalisation of Damascus relations

Source: The Guardian

More than five years into Syria’s civil war, Turkey, the country that has most helped the rebellion against the rule of Bashar al-Assad, has hinted it may move to normalise relations with Damascus.

The suggestion made by the Turkish prime minister, Binali Yıldırım, on Wednesday, stunned the Syrian opposition leadership, which Ankara hosts, as well as regional leaders, who had allied with Turkey in their push to oust Assad over a long, unforgiving war.

“I am sure that we will return [our] ties with Syria to normal,” he said, straying far from an official script that has persistently called for immediate regime change. “We need it. We normalised our relations with Israel and Russia. I’m sure we will go back to normal relations with Syria as well.”

Though Turkish officials later claimed the remarks were made in hope, and did not imply a policy shift, both the Ankara-backed rebels and regional diplomats inferred that Turkey was softening its rhetoric in advance of a reset with Assad, whose allies have backed him into a winning position in the war.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]


Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/13/turkey-pm-greatest-goal-is-to-improve-relations-with-syria-and-iraq



Kareem Shaheen and Martin Chulov in Beirut
Wednesday 13 July 2016 18.40 BST
3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Syrian rebels stunned as Turkey signals normalisation of Damascus relations (Original Post) Eugene Jul 2016 OP
Turkey President's son has been a big violator of the blockade against Syria. . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2016 #1
Turkey is afraid of an independent Kurdistan uawchild Jul 2016 #2
the Syrian Civil War is at a stalemate, if not lost to Assad maxsolomon Jul 2016 #3

uawchild

(2,208 posts)
2. Turkey is afraid of an independent Kurdistan
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 03:17 PM
Jul 2016

Erdogan has finally realized that by getting rid of Assad in Syria, he was inadvertently helping the Kurds establish an independent Kurdistan on his borders. Considering the Kurdish majority in the southeast of Turkey, Erdogan finds that possibility very disturbing.

maxsolomon

(32,981 posts)
3. the Syrian Civil War is at a stalemate, if not lost to Assad
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 04:23 PM
Jul 2016

ISIL is the bigger threat, and to root ISIL out, everyone needs to be on the same team.

the losers are the not-ISIL Sunnis.

who'll probably join ISIL now.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Syrian rebels stunned as ...