The Turkish president on Friday signaled a new diplomatic peace initiative with Damascus, suggesting a potential invitation to Syria's Bashar al-Assad.
“We, together with Russian President Vladimir Putin, may have an invitation to Bashar al-Assad,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists on his return flight from Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, where he attended a two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Anadolu Agency reported.
“If Mr. Putin can visit Turkey, this could be the beginning of a new process," he added.
"The passing years in Syria have clearly shown everyone the need for establishing a permanent solution,” the Turkish leader said, referring to the violence and chaos since the 2011 civil war in the Arab country.
He underlined Syria's critical need for reconstruction and stability, underscoring the impact of widespread infrastructure damage and societal upheaval.
MNA