Turkish, French president discuss Syria, bilateral ties in phone call

By Gizem Nisa Cebi

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a telephone call on Tuesday focusing on bilateral relations and key regional issues, particularly Syria.

"During the conversation, Türkiye-France bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues, were discussed," the Turkish Communications Directorate said on X.

Erdogan voiced his approval of "France's decision to reopen its embassy in Syria," calling it a positive step for international engagement in the region, according to the directorate.

Türkiye also recently reopened its embassy in Damascus, Syria’s capital, in the wake of the Dec. 8 fall of the Assad regime.

The two leaders also addressed "Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty" in the post-Assad era, with Erdogan stressing the importance of maintaining both.

He emphasized ongoing efforts to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, calling for "international collaboration" to ensure "sustainable conditions" for their stay and to support vital "reconstruction and revitalization efforts" in Syria.