Recep Tayyip Erdogan
On December 27, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as “a terrorist who has carried out state terrorism” adding that “it is impossible to continue with Assad.” Erdogan continued:
“How can we embrace the future with a Syrian president who has killed close to a million of his citizens?”
The statement was made during a televised news conference with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi in Tunis.
Turkey alongside with Russia and Iran is a mediator in the Astana talks on the Syrian crisis. Syria accuses Turkey of supporting the terrorism and describes Turkish forces deployed in the country as invaders.
Despite a close cooperation with Russia and Iran over the conflict in Syria, the Erdogan regime sends mixed signals that differ significantly depending on many factors. The level of the diplomatic and economic pressure faced from Russia is one of the factors that impact the stance of the Turkish regime.
