Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Monday that his country is willing to resume normalization talks with Syria, but only if two conditions are met: the adoption of a new constitution and the holding of free and fair elections. Akar also said that the Syrian regime should thank Turkey for its role in defeating ISIS in northern Syria.
Akar stressed that Turkey has no ambitions to control Syrian or neighboring territories, and that its forces will withdraw from Syria, but only if the two conditions are met.
The first condition is an agreement between the government and the opposition on a new constitution, and the second is the holding of free and fair elections in the country.
In a television interview on Monday night, Akar said that “these two conditions could pave the way for ending the conflict in Syria, which has been going on for more than 10 years.”
The Turkish government’s stance highlights its willingness to engage in diplomatic efforts to bring stability to Syria but underscores the importance of political reforms and democratic processes as prerequisites for any troop withdrawal. It remains to be seen how these conditions will impact future discussions and the resolution of the Syrian conflict.
