An agreement has been made between Turkey and Syria, allowing the countries' Syriac [Assyrian] Christian community to visit relatives during religious feasts.

Syriacs are members of an ethno-religious group spread throughout Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq who speak a variant of Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke. The signed agreement resembles one made between the two countries to allow Muslims with family on both sides of the border to visit one another during Eid al-Fitr (the holiday that follows the fasting month of Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice). Efforts by Mehmet Kılı