Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would not ask anyone for permission to hold a meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

"I am not asking anyone for permission to meet with whom, when and how. I had a meeting with the president of Egypt in Qatar. I didn't ask anyone's permission. Our national interests will be the determining factor in what steps we take on Syria. From the safe zone in Syria to the measures we will take against terrorist organizations," Erdogan told reporters on his return from Turkmenistan.

Erdogan previously did not rule out a meeting with the Syrian leader, saying there are no hard feelings in politics.