Asad: Under What Conditions He Will Meet Erdogan

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has announced that he is ready to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria. Assad made this statement in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"Regarding the meeting with Erdogan, it is related to reaching a phase where Turkey is clearly and unambiguously ready for the complete withdrawal of troops from Syrian territory, as long as there are no uncertainties, which has been the case since the start of the war in Syria," he stated, considering this the only option for negotiations with Erdogan.

According to the Syrian president, Ankara has played a negative role in the war within his country, as it has supported organizations that Damascus considers terrorist and sent its troops into Syrian territory. "For us, Turkey is an occupying state," added Assad.