“There are no prerequisites for dialogue [with Syria]”Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview last week.” What is more important is the goal and the goal of that dialogue,” he told Turkish broadcaster Haber Global.
Cavusoglu made his comments just days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters that “diplomacy can never be severed” with Damascus and that Ankara needs to “ensure next steps with Syria.” Ankara’s goal, he added, is not to defeat Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.
Ankara’s softening of views also comes as several Arab states turn the tide of the war in Syria and welcome Assad back to the region.
However, the conciliatory statements by Turkish officials are a calculated move aimed at a domestic audience ahead of next year’s elections, said Asli Aydintasbas, senior member at the Council for Foreign Affairs. outside of Europe, told CNN.
“We’re moving toward elections, [Erdogan’s] The numbers are looking very uncertain and the refugee issue seems to be one of the top concerns for Turkish voters across the political spectrum, including his own base, ” she said.
“Refugees are scapegoats,” Aydintasbas said. “There’s no economic or even real reason for this, but people, when [they’re] unemployed, when [they see] Their purchasing power dwindles, finding refugees as a convenience scapegoat.”
Observers and rights groups say Turkey is unlikely to bring Syrians back to their country if it is not safe for them, due to international treaties protecting the rights of refugees. . But they expect this will continue to be used as a tool to rally support from all sides ahead of next year’s vote.
“This whole concept of starting a political dialogue is meant to reassure voters that the government is doing something, [and] Aydintasbas said there are plans to repatriate Syrians, although this is unlikely.
Despite assurances from the Turkish government that there will be no forced return, many Syrians in Turkey fear they will be forced to return. Those in opposition-controlled areas in Syria fear their areas will be handed over to Syrian government forces.
Both the ruling party and the opposition in Ankara argue that normalizing the Assad regime is necessary to solve Turkey’s refugee problem.
When the Turkish foreign minister first hinted at reconciliation earlier this month and revealed that he had had a brief meeting with his Syrian counterpart on the sidelines of a conference last year, it sparked outrage. outrage among the last remains of the Syrian rebels.
A Syrian in Istanbul described fear in his community amid unrest. He spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity because of his own precarious situation in both countries.
“[Erdogan] “If Erdogan wins, they probably won’t send us back without guarantees, but if the opposition wins, they might open the door and bring us all back,” he said. We will need to consider going to other countries. ”
Aydintasbas said gestures towards the Syrian regime would likely be part of Erdogan’s campaign pledge. “This is very unlikely, except for the fun between Turkey and Damascus.”
CNN’s Isil Sariyuce and Celine Al-Khaldi contributed to this article.
Notify
Iraq’s powerful cleric Sadr says he’s giving up politics
- Story: Regarded as the king of Iraqi politics, Sadr withdrew his lawmakers from parliament in June after he failed to form a government of his choice. The political stalemate between him and Iran-backed Shiite opponents has left Iraq with the longest period without a government.
- Why is it important: Sadr supporters since late July have occupied parliament and protested near government buildings, stalling the process of choosing a new president and prime minister. The announcement raised concerns that they could escalate the protests, prompting a new phase of unrest.
Iran repeats closure of UN probe because of demands to restore nuclear deal
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says there is “no sense in a nuclear deal” if an investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency into unexplained uranium traces at Iranian sites is not completed. handle.
- Story: Iran has asked the United Nations nuclear watchdog to shut down a probe that found traces of uranium found at undeclared research sites before it agreed to fully implement the proposal. The proposal to restore the 2015 nuclear treaty was abandoned by the Trump administration.
- Why is it important?: The probe is the sole sticking point in the negotiations and risks prolonging the already protracted effort to come to an agreement. Iran has reneged on several requests, including delisting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization, a senior US official told CNN earlier this month.
Turkish pop star under house arrest after remand sparks outrage
A Turkish court has ruled that pop star Gulsen must now be placed under house arrest, state news agency Anadolu reported on Monday, after the singer was formally arrested four days ago for a crime jokes about religious schools caused outrage.
- Story: Gulsen was jailed pending trial on Thursday on charges of inciting hatred, after a video of her comments from four months ago appeared on the website of a pro-government newspaper, Sabah, the day before. Several ministers condemned her comments on Twitter. She denied the allegations and apologized to those offended by her remarks.
- Why is it important: Thousands of people took to social media to support Gulsen, saying she was targeted for her support of LGBT+ rights and liberal views that run counter to those of Erdogan’s Islamist AK Party.
Tweet of the day
A video of a Turkish sports commentator being slapped by a cat on live television has gone viral across the country.
Huseyin Ozkok was discussing live football on A Spor channel on Saturday when a cat appeared behind him and slapped him in the face.
“You seem to have a bit of a guest? Did you bring your cat?” laughing anchor.
Ozkok replied that he was a guest at the cat’s house.
He later shared a photo of the cat. “This is Oli, our little feisty friend who hit me with a right hook in the air,” he tweeted. “When he was young and dying, he was found in a trash can and brought back to life. Let’s take care of animals. Don’t call bad people animals.”
photo of the day
