Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his willingness for a rapprochement with Syria's Bashar Al Assad, and the restoration of relations to "how they were in the past".
He was speaking to reporters on a flight back from Berlin on Sunday after attending the Euro 2024 quarter-final between Turkey and the Netherlands.
"We have now come to such a point that if Bashar Al Assad takes a step towards improving relations with Turkey, we will show that approach towards him," Mr Erdogan said, adding that there are more than three million Syrian refugees in his country.
"We will make our invitation," he said.
The "invitation" will bring Turkish-Syrian relations "to the same point as in the past", Mr Erdogan said.
Relations between the two countries were severed in 2011, when a civil war broke out after the Damascus regime brutally suppressed anti-Assad protests.
Since then, millions of Syrian refugees sought safety in countries including Turkey, Jordan and Egypt. Turkey has been fighting Kurdish militia operating in Syria on its southern border and has Turkish troops and allied Syrian forces in a "safe zone" it created along a 115km long border.
Earlier this month, The National had reported that a push by Iraq for warmer ties between Turkey and Syria has been facing challenges, particularly when it comes to dealing with the Kurdish militia groups in Syria and the return of refugees to the country.
Syria has insisted that Turkey must pull out its troops for any normalisation to occur.
During his remarks, Mr Erdogan also expressed openness to having Russia and Iraq facilitate conversations between himself and Mr Al Assad.
"[Vladimir] Putin and the Iraqi prime minister have an approach for talks to be in Turkey. We are talking about mediation everywhere, why not with our neighbour?" state news agency Anadolu reported him as saying.
Mediation efforts by Iraq had been "warmly welcomed" by Syria and Turkey, an Iraqi foreign ministry official told The National, adding that a meeting between officials from both sides could happen soon.
Mr Erdogan's comments came after a recent spate of attacks on Syrian refugees in Turkey and attacks on Turkish garrisons and interests in the Ankara-controlled area of Syria.
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
