"He [Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi] was very glad over this meeting, we were also happy. I hope that the process [of the normalization of relations between Turkey and Egypt] will continue [at the level] of our ministers. In the next process, as it was settled with Egypt, it may be settled with Syria. There is no room for affront in politics," he said at a meeting with the youth in the city of Konya, which was aired by the TRT television channel.
After Erdogan’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on August 5, the Turkish mass media reported that Ankara was looking at a possible establishment of direct contacts between the Turkish and Syrian leaders, according to TASS.
The Turkish authorities said back then that no such talks were planned and contacts between Ankara and Damascus were only maintained at the level of special services.
After the European Political Community in Prague meeting on October 6, Erdogan said that there were no immediate plans for his personal meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Such a meeting, in his words, would take place as soon as the time was ripe for it.
RHM/PR