ISTANBUL: It is natural for the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad to have a place at the negotiating table in peace talks for the war-torn country, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Tuesday.

In comments shown live by broadcaster NTV, Kurtulmus also said that starting to overcome the Syrian crisis with Russian help will help pave the way for a new peace perspective in Syria.

Turkey has long been one of the most vocal critics of Assad, saying he ultimately must be ousted for there to be peace in Syria.