Türkiye reaffirmed its support for the Syrian opposition in the political process within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for a nationwide ceasefire, launch of negotiations, formation of a unity government within two years to be followed by elections.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held a meeting with opposition leaders following a series of statements by Ankara saying it was open to dialogue with the Syrian regime
Ankara repeatedly underscored the importance of reconciliation or consensus between the opposition and the regime to be able to achieve lasting peace in Syria.
In a tweet on Wednesday, the Turkish FM said he held talks in Ankara with Salem al-Meslet, president of the National Coalition, Badr Jamous, head of the Negotiations Committee, and Abdulrahman Mustafa, prime minister of the provisional government.
Cavusoglu also recently revealed meetings between the intelligence services of Damascus and Ankara. He said that he had a “brief conversation” with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement meeting in October in Serbia's capital Belgrade.
“We need to bring the opposition and regime together for reconciliation somehow, or there will be no permanent peace otherwise,” he told reporters.
His remarks sparked anger against Türkiye in areas controlled by its forces and opposition factions in northwestern Syria.
Türkiye said there are “certain parties behind it,” in reference to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara views as a terrorist group.
The Yeni Şafak Newspaper quoted Meslet as saying that instigators were the reason behind the demonstrations against Türkiye that took place two weeks ago in several areas in northern Syria. However, he stressed Tuesday that some of his statements to the Turkish newspaper were “distorted.”
He confirmed that the opposition looks forward to find a political solution for all Syrians, not only for opposition-held areas.
He said that Resolution 2254, which was unanimously adopted by the Security Council, is the political solution to end the crisis in Syria, but the regime doesn’t want a political solution to the crisis.
Asked last week about potential talks with Damascus, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that diplomacy can never be fully severed. There is a “need to take further steps with Syria,” he said, according to a transcript of his comments to Turkish media.
On Tuesday, Cavusoglu said his country has no preconditions for dialogue with Syria but any talks should focus on border security, in a further softening of Ankara's stance towards Damascus after a decade of hostility.
