Turkey asks for Russia’s assistance in normalizing relations with Syria, Lavrov says

• 01.18.2023, 19:39
•  EEU,  Region,  World

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

 Turkey supports normalizing relations with Syria and has asked for Russia’s assistance on the issue with a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers being in the works, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Russian diplomacy in 2022 on Wednesday, TASS reports. 

"Turkey, as you know, spoke out for normalizing relations with Damascus. President Erdogan said that he was ready to meet with President Assad. They asked us to assist, a meeting between the defense ministers of Turkey and Syria took place with Russia’s assistance, and a meeting between foreign ministers is in the works," the Russian top diplomat said.

Lavrov noted that the US also realized that it was necessary to interact with Syria’s legitimate government represented by President Bashar Assad. "The Americans realized that it makes no sense to groom some kind of Guaido (Juan Guaido, Venezuelan oppositionist - TASS) for Venezuela, that it is necessary to work with those who have a popular mandate. Now the same trends are emerging with regards to Bashar Assad. The Americans have non-public interaction with Syrians on POWs," he pointed out.

Additionally, he stressed that the West does not want refugees to return to Syria while the volume of humanitarian aid provided to the republic is among the lowest.