Abu Dhabi’s skyline in December 2014. By Wikimedia user Wadiia.
The foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey and Syria could meet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the coming days, RT reported on January 5.
The meeting will be the next step in ongoing Russian efforts to restore ties between Ankara and Damascus, who were driven apart by the war in Syria. Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has already talked about meeting with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad in mid-January. However, the exact location of the meeting is yet to be officially confirmed.
Last week while visiting Brazil, Cavusoglu said that several countries offered to host the meeting, which will also be attended by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. The minister said that the meeting could in the end take place in the Russian capital, Moscow, where the December breakthrough meeting between the defense ministers of Russia, Turkey and Syria was held.
Cavusoglu spoke on January 3 over the phone with the UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The very next day, Abdullah bin Zayed paid a surprise visit to the Syrian capital, Damascus, where he met with President Bashar al-Assad.
The UAE has been backing Russia’s efforts to reintegrate Syria into the Middle East and the rest of the world. Due to this, it would make sense for Abu Dhabi to hold the next Russian-Turkish-Syrian meeting.
The upcoming meeting will likely help set up talks in Ankara and Damascus, and possibly a historic meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syria’s Assad.
During a speech in Ankara on January 5, Erdogan hinted that he could meet with Assad after the upcoming foreign ministers meeting.
“We have launched a process as Russia-Turkey-Syria,” the Turkish president said. “We will bring our foreign ministers together and then, depending on developments, we will come together as leaders.”
All in all, it appears that the Russian-sponsored plan to restore ties between Ankara and Damascus is going according to plan. Both countries appear to be ready to turn a new page and cooperate on key security and economic matters. The UAE involvement will give this process more credibility and possibly pave the way for some Arab countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia to reapproach Syria.
It would be wise to have this meeting in Moscow. I remember Suleiman thinking he was going to a meeting for peace and he was murdered. Beware.
Terrorist Suleiman?gd gd