Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a strong opponent of the Syrian regime, says his country could be ready for dialogue with Damascus. It's a prospect that's causing alarm in the ranks of the Syrian opposition that relies heavily on Turkish support.
Since the onset of the Syrian civil war, Erdogan routinely targeted his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al Assad as a tyrant, devil, and butcher, pledging that he would pay for what he calls his atrocities against his people.
But this month, Erdogan is singing a different tune. Referring to his nation's relations with the Syrian regime, the Turkish leader told reporters: "Political dialogue and diplomacy cannot be cut off between states."
Ankara severed its diplomatic ties with the Assad government at the start of the civil war. Erdogan has played a leading role in backing the opposition in its bid to oust Assad from power. But Turkey is now looking to return millions of Syrian refugees.
Talk of 'peace'
Earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu revealed he had recently held talks with his Syrian counterpart.
"I had a brief chat with the Syrian foreign minister on the sidelines of a meeting, telling him that Turkey believes there will be peace between the Assad regime and the opposition and that Turkey is ready to help in such circumstances," Cavusoglu said.
Syrian rebels angrily protested, burning Turkish flags as they got news of the discussion between the Turkish and Syrian foreign ministers.
"It's terrible news for the Syrian opposition," said Galip Dalay, a Turkey analyst at Chatham House.
"Because of the trouble they were facing, they were already more and more turning into Turkey's proxies, and now that will be basically the nail in the coffin of the Syrian opposition.
"But some of the groups there might also be decoupling between Turkey and some of the Syrian opposition groups."
Syrian Kurds
Analysts say Erdogan could be looking for rapprochement with Damascus to get rid of Syrian Kurdish forces of the YPG from its border.
Ankara accuses the YPG of having links to an insurgency inside Turkey. "From our perspective, we need to feel secure definitely," said Omer Onhon, Turkey's last ambassador to Syria.
Erdogan is also facing mounting public pressure over the millions of Syrian refugees who fled to Turkey. But Onhon says Ankara needs to be cautious in its dealings with Damascus.
"We need to see that Syria is secure for the return of Syrians in Turkey and in other countries. So, the regime has to prove that they are sincere in seeking a real political solution. But up to now, this is not the case," said Onhon.
But time may not be on Erdogan's side. He faces reelection next year and is languishing in the polls, with many voters citing the presence of Syrian refugees as one of his most significant election liabilities.
Moscow a player
The hand of Moscow, which has long backed the Assad regime, could also be a factor in Erdogan's deliberations, says analyst Dalay.
"This is precisely in line with the Russian vision of Syria," said Dalay.
"The core of it is that Turkey needs to engage Damascus. That the road to Turkey's concerns in Syria goes through Damascus, so that's the message that Putin and Russia have been sending to Turkey.
"How Turkey will follow through is a big question because Turkey has a significant military presence there (Syria).
"So, Syria would insist on the withdrawal of the Turkish presence from Syria. And this is a very difficult position in terms of foreign and domestic policy. "
Assad has repeatedly called for the unconditional withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian territory — Ankara controls a large swathe of Syrian territory along the Turkish border, seized in its fight against the Kurdish YPG group.
It's a demand the Syrian president could make face-to-face with Erdogan in September when both leaders are invited to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
