Thursday, July 14, 2016

Syria's Rebels Are Stunned That Turkey Now Wants To Normalise Ties With Assad

Erdogan and Assad during happier times in 2011 (AFP Photo)

The Guardian: Syrian rebels stunned as Turkey signals normalisation of Damascus relations

Apparent policy shift could spell end to rebellion against Bashar al-Assad’s rule in Syria.

More than five years into Syria’s civil war, Turkey, the country that has most helped the rebellion against the rule of Bashar al-Assad, has hinted it may move to normalise relations with Damascus.

The suggestion made by the Turkish prime minister, Binali Yıldırım, on Wednesday, stunned the Syrian opposition leadership, which Ankara hosts, as well as regional leaders, who had allied with Turkey in their push to oust Assad over a long, unforgiving war.

“I am sure that we will return [our] ties with Syria to normal,” he said, straying far from an official script that has persistently called for immediate regime change. “We need it. We normalised our relations with Israel and Russia. I’m sure we will go back to normal relations with Syria as well.”

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I was surprised by this policy shift (or should I say the hints of a policy shift) .... I was giving it another year before Turkey would throw in the towel. Fro the war in Syria, it looks like the the next big battle that is shaping up will be the siege of rebel held Aleppo .... The Siege of Aleppo Could Spell Disaster for Rebels Fighting Syria’s Bashar Assad (Time).

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Beware the Bear!

Obama is a Chickenshit Hawk.