Recent developments have indicated a notable shift in the stances of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad towards each other, hinting at a potential imminent summit between them.
Erdogan notably recalled the close ties he once shared with the Assad family, underscoring a previous intimate relationship.
This comes in contrast to the recent decision by the French judiciary, which issued an arrest warrant against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last week, citing his alleged involvement in human rights abuses, including a chemical attack by Syrian government forces in 2013.
President Erdogan’s response to the French judicial decision appeared indifferent, emphasizing instead his pursuit of closer ties with Assad.
This signifies a significant shift in Erdogan’s political rhetoric, moving away from previous accusations against Assad, similar to those outlined in the French court ruling.
Erdogan’s stance appears to disregard France’s partnership with Turkey within NATO, where shared political, security, and military orientations are expected.
This indicates Erdogan’s lack of conviction in France’s assertions, as well as a retreat from his prior allegations against Assad.
Ultimately, Erdogan, known for his political pragmatism, views the French assertions as legally insufficient to prove Assad’s direct involvement in the chemical attack near Damascus, an area visited by independent investigators who did not definitively attribute responsibility.
It appears both Erdogan and Assad are moving towards reconciliation, despite cautionary advice from the US administration to Ankara.
Erdogan’s prioritization of higher political interests likely outweighs previous adversarial stances against Assad, especially as he becomes increasingly convinced of the lack of concrete evidence against the Syrian president in the French legal context.
