عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Erdogan-Assad Meeting to Be Held Next Month, Turkish Sources

Meeting of Bashar Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Damascus in May 2008 (AP)
Meeting of Bashar Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Damascus in May 2008 (AP)
TT
TT

Erdogan-Assad Meeting to Be Held Next Month, Turkish Sources

Meeting of Bashar Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Damascus in May 2008 (AP)
Meeting of Bashar Assad and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Damascus in May 2008 (AP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Assad, could meet at the Kasab border crossing next month, the pro-government Türkiye newspaper reported on Saturday.

Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief Sergey Naryshkin and chief of Turkish intelligence Ibrahim Kalin agreed on the plan during a meeting they held in Ankara a few days ago, the newspaper said citing sources familiar with the issue.

Intelligence authorities involved in the potential rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus also held three meetings last June to prepare for the Erdogan-Assad talks, it said.

The Kasab border crossing hosted a meeting of Turkish and Syrian intelligence officials about three years ago when Russia triggered the normalization process between Ankara and Damascus.

The Türkiye newspaper, citing its sources, said Erdogan and Assad were initially supposed to meet in Baghdad, but Ankara is now considering the option of holding the summit at the Kasab crossing.

It added that following talks between Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last Wednesday, reports said the Assad-Erdogan meeting could be held in Moscow. But diplomatic sources were quick to deny it.

Last Tuesday, Türkiye’s Daily Sabah newspaper said Erdogan will meet Assad in Moscow next month, but a Turkish diplomatic source refuted the reports.

Spokesman for Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party Omer Celik said last Tuesday that preparation is underway for the Erdogan-Assad meeting.

Speaking after a meeting of the Party chaired by Erdogan, he said the Turkish and Syrian intelligence services held meetings at different times to prepare the necessary dossier related to the Ankara-Damascus relations.

Celik explained that the Turkish Foreign and Defense ministries will then provide their recommendations based on this preparation.

Following this stage, the file will be presented to the Turkish and Syrian Presidents, and Erdogan will then invite Assad to meet.

Turkish media reported that a plane carrying Naryshkin arrived at Ankara Esenboga International Airport last Wednesday, coinciding with the Putin-Assad meeting in Moscow.

Security experts said a Special Flight Detachment aircraft, thought to be carrying Naryshkin, traveled from Moscow to Ankara.

The Türkiye newspaper said the meeting held between Kalin and Naryshkin was decisive in determining the date and place of Erdogan and Assad’s meeting.

Türkiye severed ties with Syria in 2011 after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, in which it supported the opposition looking to oust Assad. The Syrian leader views opposition fighters as terrorists.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Aoun Leading Efforts to Avert Shiite Boycott of New Lebanese Govt

A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
TT
TT

Aoun Leading Efforts to Avert Shiite Boycott of New Lebanese Govt

A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)
A handout photo made available by the Lebanese Presidency Press Office shows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (C) attending a meeting with Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (L) and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, 14 January 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office)

Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to kick off parliamentary consultations to form a new government.

He assured that it will “not exclude anyone”, but seek “unity and partnership.”

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that President Joseph Aoun is leading efforts to avert a Shiite boycott of the new government after the “Shiite duo” of the Hezbollah and Amal movement, which is led by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, refrained from naming Salam for the position of PM during Monday’s consultations.

Their abstention has raised fears that the new government will not be constitutional without the representation of the largest Shiite parties in the country.

Reports have said that the duo may boycott the parliamentary consultations to form a government that Salam will hold on Wednesday.

Sources said the duo may skip the first day of talks, which will conclude on Thursday, to demonstrate its “annoyance” with the developments.

Berri, however, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the “situation is not that negative”. He did not elaborate on the duo’s next steps.

Moreover, Asharq Al-Awsat learned that French President Macron had even intervened to avoid a dispute over the government, holding telephone talks with Aoun and Berri.

Salam’s appointment as prime minister came as a major shock given the large number of votes he won from the parliamentary blocs, compared to his predecessor Najib Mikati and against the will of the Shiite duo. In past years, Hezbollah has repeatedly blocked Salam from becoming prime minister.

Aoun stressed the need to “avoid placing obstacles in the government formation process.”

Aoun held a meeting with Salam at the presidential palace on Tuesday before later being joined by Berri, who left the palace without making a statement.

After the talks, Salam spoke before reporters to express his gratitude to parliament and the people for entrusting him with the “difficult task of serving Lebanon” and “achieving the people’s dreams.”

“It is time to open a new chapter that is rooted in justice, security, progress and opportunity, so that Lebanon can be a nation of free people who are equal under their rights,” he added.

On the possible boycott of the Shiite duo, he said he was against exclusion and on the contrary supported unity. “This is my sincere call, and my hands are extended to everyone,” he added.

The formation of a government in Lebanon often takes months due to political wrangling.

Aoun said on Tuesday that Lebanon has a “very major opportunity that we should all seize.”

He received a delegation from the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council.

“Obstacles must not be placed in the formation process,” he urged. “We must send positive signals to the international community that Lebanon can govern itself, carry out reconstruction transparently and build the state that we are all calling for.”

“If one segment of Lebanon is broken, then the whole country will break,” he stressed, saying Monday’s consultations to appoint Salam were a democratic process and that the public interest remains the top priority.

Aoun, who was elected last week, added that he has declined visits from well-wishers over his election “out of respect for the martyrs” who were killed during Israel’s war on Lebanon, which ended with a ceasefire in November.