Türkiye, Syria consider establishing “red phone” for direct presidential communication

Türkiye and Syria are contemplating the establishment of a direct communication line between their leaders, similar to the Cold War-era “red phone” used by the US and USSR.
 
This proposal aims to facilitate continuous dialogue between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to address and resolve bilateral issues, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish sources.

The suggestion comes as both nations plan their first high-level meeting in over a decade. While initial discussions were anticipated to occur in August, with possible venues including Baghdad or the Kesab checkpoint on the Turkish-Syrian border, there is still no confirmed date or location for these talks.

The source outlines two potential frameworks for the negotiation process. The first involves preliminary discussions at the deputy foreign and defence minister levels, progressing to ministerial meetings, and culminating in a summit between the presidents.
 
Alternatively, an “inverted pyramid” approach could be adopted, where Erdogan and Assad meet directly to outline key issues and subsequently delegate tasks to their respective teams. Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen as a crucial figure in facilitating such high-level engagements.

The source cautions that while the proposed meeting between Erdogan and Assad could mark a critical step in overcoming diplomatic hurdles and establishing joint mechanisms, it is unlikely to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries.
 
The complexity of the Syrian civil war adds layers of difficulty to the normalization process, distinguishing it from recent reconciliations between Türkiye and other regional players like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt.