Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that there is no reason why relations between Turkey and Syria cannot be re-established, hinting at the possibility of meeting his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to help restore bilateral relations between the countries.

In a statement following Friday prayers in Istanbul, Erdogan responded to a journalist’s question about Assad’s remarks that Syria is open to all initiatives aimed at improving its relations with Turkey. 

"There is no reason not to establish relations. In other words, we are ready to work together to develop these relations with Syria in the same way we did in the past," Erdogan said.

He added, "We can never have any intention or goal like interfering in Syria's internal affairs," noting that the Turkish and Syrian people "are brothers and live side by side."

Erdogan further commented, "Just as we kept our relations with Syria very much alive in the past, and as you know, we had meetings (in the past) with Bashar al-Assad, including family gatherings. It is impossible to say that this will not happen in the future; rather, it could happen again."

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed Syria's openness to initiatives aimed at improving relations with Turkey, emphasizing the importance of Syria's sovereignty over its entire territory and the fight against terrorism. 

According to Syrian state media, Assad highlighted that these initiatives reflect the will of concerned countries to establish stability in Syria and the broader region.

During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, Alexander Lavrentiev on June 26, Assad noted that Syria has always approached such initiatives positively and constructively, stressing that the success of any initiative depends on respecting the sovereignty and stability of states.

Lavrentiev confirmed Russia's support for initiatives aimed at improving Syrian-Turkish relations and noted that current conditions are as favorable as they have been in a long time for successful mediation. 

He said that Russia is ready to push negotiations forward to restore relations between Syria and Turkey.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani announced in an interview published in May that his government is working on a reconciliation between Ankara and Damascus.

Al-Sudani told Turkey's private Habertürk channel through a translator, "God willing, we will see some steps in this regard soon," adding that he is in contact with both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding reconciliation efforts.

Turkey severed its relations with Syria in 2011 and supported the opposition. It has also carried out several cross-border military operations against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which it claims are linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and pose a threat to its national security. 

Turkey has since established a “safe zone” in northern Syria, where Turkish forces are currently stationed.