Working with Assad to be considered if elected fairly: Turkish FM

DOHA

A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on December 16, 2018 shows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) receiving his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir upon his arrival in the Syrian capital Damascus.

Turkish foreign minister has said if there is a democratic and credible election in Syria, then everybody "should consider" working with the Bashar al-Assad.

"If it is democratic and credible one then everybody should consider that [working with Assad]," Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told a special session -- moderated by CNBC anchor Hadley Gamble -- of 18th Doha Forum in Qatar on Dec. 16. 

"It has to be very credible, transparent, democratic and fair elections. At the end, Syrian people should decide who is going to rule the country after the elections," Çavuşoğlu added.

He further said that constitution for Syria should be drafted by the people of their own country.

“It [the draft process] should be conducted under the umbrella of the United Nations. It has to be an inclusive one. Everybody, the eligible ones, should be able to vote,” he said, referring to Syrians inside and outside of the country, including Turkey and other neighboring countries.