The Turkish government is considering the possibility of establishing a dialogue with the Syrian government, Hürriyet reported citing unnamed sources.

According to the newspaper, the discussions will cover three critical issues: protecting the unitary structure of the Syrian state, maintaining Syria's territorial integrity and ensuring the safe return of refugees.

Syrian unity is especially important due to the activities of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in the country and in the Kurdish Autonomous Region, the newspaper noted.

The process could lead to the return of at least half of the Syrian refugees living in Turkey to their homeland, Hürriyet reported, citing a source.

The sources said that relations between Ankara and Damascus have been held back by Russia and Iran. But since Russia is preoccupied with the war in Ukraine and the global response to it, there has been an opportunity to improve relations, they said.

Ankara believes that President Bashar al-Assad's visit to the UAE demonstrates that he needs to take new initiatives and gain new support, and that various means are being sought to do so. Sources said Turkey could use the process to its advantage, given its improved relations with the UAE.

Assad's meetings with the UAE leadership signaled a potential warming in Syria's relations with its Arab neighbors. The United States criticized the trip, saying it was "deeply disappointed".