Syria expressed its willingness to engage in discussions with Türkiye on Saturday following Erdogan’s invitation to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a NATO press conference, Paralel.Az reports citing Türkiye Today.

President Erdogan first showed willingness on July 7 to meet with Assad, saying “We have reached a point where as soon as Bashar al-Assad takes a step towards improving relations with Türkiye, we will show him that attitude in return.”

In a statement released by the Syrian Foreign Ministry, the government highlighted that the return to pre-2011 conditions is essential for the security, stability, and peace of both nations.

The Ministry emphasized Syria’s long-standing distinction between peoples and the policies of governments, stating, “Syria has always believed that the interests of nations are built on healthy relations, not on confrontation or hostility.” The statement underscored that Syria has positively approached various initiatives to improve relations with other countries, including efforts aimed at mending Syrian-Turkish relations