Syrian refugees living in Turkey could eventually be granted Turkish citizenship, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signalled, a plan that could spark controversy at home.
"We are going to help our Syrian friends in offering them the chance, if they want it, to acquire Turkish nationality."
The interior ministry will shortly announce how the naturalisation procedure would work, Erdogan said, without giving further details.
Turkey is hosting over 2.7 million refugees from the conflict in Syria -- but Ankara has refused to grant them refugee status, referring to them as "guests". Only a select group of Syrians have been granted work permits and residency.
(AFP)