Assad says Syria is positive about Turkey initiative

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has voiced his support for any initiative aimed to ameliorate ties with the Arab country's northern neighbor, Turkey.

Answering reporters on Monday while casting his vote in the elections for members of the People’s Assembly, Assad said, “We are positive about any initiative to improve relations with Turkey." "[T]his is the natural thing and no one is thinking to create problems with his neighbors, but this does not mean that we go to the meeting with Turkish President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan without rules.”

The Syrian president rejected what he called claims by the Turkish foreign minister that secret meetings were going on between the two sides, insisting that, "nothing is secret for us in Syria, everything is announced."

"There is a meeting arranged at the security level by some mediators, and we were positive ... When there is a meeting, we will announce it. There is nothing secret, but we did not see results because there was no political will," Assad told reporters.

The Syrian leader said the essence of the problem is "support for terrorism and withdrawal from Syrian territories." "We are not against any procedure or meeting, the important thing is to reach positive results that achieve the interests of Syria and Turkey at the same time.”

“Occupation, terrorism, breaching the international law, disrespecting the sovereignty of neighboring and non-neighboring countries are all abnormal, and when the abnormal things are uprooted, the relation will be normal,” he pointed out.

Assad said it is the duty of the People’s Assembly to pass laws and supervise the implementation of state policies in general.

"The People’s Assembly is the most important institution for national dialogue," Assad said, adding, “All hopes would be put on the institution of the People’s Assembly, because it is the highest in any country.”

Meanwhile, as the general election is underway, Syria’s ruling Ba’ath Party is expected to secure most of the votes in Monday's elections.

Syrians vote in 4th parliamentary election since 2011 conflict

Syrians are heading to the polls to choose their representatives to the parliament in the fourth election of the legislative body since the 2011 conflict broke out.

“The election process is being conducted under the full supervision of the Supreme Judicial Elections Committee, starting from nomination until the announcement of the results,” the official SANA news agency reported.

Damascus has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011, with Western countries and their regional allies aiding terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc in the Arab country.

Backed by Iran and Russia, Syrian forces have managed to win back control of almost all regions of the Arab country.

Syria’s oil-rich northern parts, however, are still under the control of militant groups and foreign occupation forces.

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