Turkey has named a temporary chargé d’affaires to its long-closed embassy in Damascus, which it has pledged to reopen following the overthrow of strongman Bashar al-Assad, Agence France-Presse reported, citing the state-run Anadolu news agency.
Burhan Köroğlu was named as Turkey’s temporary chargé d’affaires at its embassy, Anadolu said, quoting foreign ministry sources who did not say when he would take up his post.
On Tuesday Turkey’s top diplomat, Hakan Fidan, said Ankara would reopen its Damascus embassy when conditions allowed.
The Damascus embassy closed on March 26, 2012, a year after Syria’s civil war began, due to the deteriorating security situation amid calls by the Turkish government for Assad to step down.
Köroğlu was named as Turkey’s ambassador to Nouakchott, Mauritania, exactly a year ago.
It was not immediately clear how long he would hold the temporary position in Damascus.