ANKARA (Reuters) – Developments in Syria show the need for the Syrian government to reconcile with its people and the opposition, and Turkey is ready to contribute to such a dialogue, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday.
His comments after a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi followed a rapid assault in which rebels reached f Aleppo nearly a decade after they were forced out of the northern Syrian city.
“It would be wrong to explain recent developments in Syria with foreign intervention,” Fidan told a press conference. “The latest developments show the need for Damascus to reconcile with its people and the opposition.”
“The reason for the latest developments in (northern) Syria is that problems in the past 13 years were not solved,” he said, adding that Ankara opposed any escalation in Syria or flow of refugees from the region.
Turkey, Russia and Iran have regularly held talks on Syria’s future as part what is known as the Astana peace process. While Russia and Iran support President Bashar al-Assad, NATO member Turkey backs the political and armed opposition.
An effort will be made to revive the Astana process and a new meeting under that process could be held soon, Fidan said, adding all relevant parties should push for the establishment of dialogue between Damascus and the opposition.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu, Writing by Huseyin Hayatsever and Ezgi Erkoyun, Editing by Daren Butler and Timothy Heritage)
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