"A real political transition needs to be implemented for a new democratic Syria, based on the rule of law, in which people can elect their leaders according to their free will… You represent the will of the Syrian Turkmen. Our aim is that our Turkmen brothers, who are an indispensable component of Syria, have their say in the administration of the country," Cavusoglu said at a meeting with the Syrian Turkmen Assembly, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.
According to Cavusoglu, Turkey supports Syrian people's aspiration to live in a state based on the values of pluralism and liberty regardless of ethnicity. Turkey has accepted about 300,000 Turkmen as refugees from war-torn Syria.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27, but it does not apply to terrorist organizations active in the country, such as Daesh and the Nusra Front, both of which are outlawed in Russia.
Syria's population is made up of many ethnic and religious groups, including Arabs, Christians, Turkmens, Kurds and others.
