Erdoğan emphasizes need for global support to stabilize Syria

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed on Thursday that Syria can only achieve stability and recover from years of war with the support of all regional and international actors.

Erdoğan's remarks came during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit in Cairo. The two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral ties and key regional and global issues.

Erdoğan underscored the importance of Türkiye's robust relationship with Iran for regional stability, and highlighted the potential to increase their bilateral trade volume to $30 billion through deeper collaboration.

"Türkiye wants to see a Syria free of terrorism, where refugees can return voluntarily and with dignity," Erdoğan said, emphasizing that Syria's stability is vital not only for its own future but for the security of the entire region.

The Turkish president called for joint efforts from both regional and international actors to support Syria's recovery, stressing that it requires the support of all stakeholders.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 11th D-8 summit in the Egyptian capital Cairo, which focused on the theme of "Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy."

Erdoğan later returned to Istanbul after the end of the summit, expressing his hope that the consultations and decisions made at the Summit will be beneficial for the countries and the region.

The D-8 group, established in Istanbul in 1997, aims to strengthen economic and social relations among its member states, which include Türkiye, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, and Malaysia. Azerbaijan also joined the group on Thursday.