Fidan meets Saudi counterpart in Riyadh to discuss Syria

Fidan meets Saudi counterpart in Riyadh to discuss Syria

RIYADH
Fidan meets Saudi counterpart in Riyadh to discuss SyriaFidan meets Saudi counterpart in Riyadh to discuss Syria

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks with his Saudi countepart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, in Riyadh on Jan. 28, reportedly focusing on sanctions on Syria.

The meeting marks Fidan’s second visit to the Saudi capital this month. On Jan. 12, he attended a multilateral Syria meeting in Riyadh, where he also engaged with Prince Faisal.

Fidan’s discussions come amid increasing regional focus on Syria, as the country’s new administration welcomed the recent decision of EU foreign ministers to begin easing sanctions on Syria.

In a press release, Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the move facilitates economic recovery and enhances access to essential services, calling for the full removal of remaining sanctions.

Following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, the West looks to build bridges with the war-ravaged country's new leadership.

“The Syrian people deserve a genuine opportunity to rebuild their lives and shape their own future,” the statement read, noting that sanctions, initially imposed to counter the Assad regime’s actions, have become "detrimental to welfare of citizens."

The 27-nation bloc imposed wide-ranging sanctions on the Assad government and Syria's economy during its civil war.

EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said ministers had signed up for a "roadmap" toward lifting the sanctions starting with key sectors, such as energy, where relief is needed most urgently.

Fidan was in Baghdad on Jan. 26 for talks with Iraq's top diplomat Fuad Hussein. He called on Iraq to officially recognize PKK as a terrorist organization.

"PKK targets Türkiye, Iraq and Syria. We must wage a joint fight against terrorism for the future of our region and the well-being of our people," Fidan said at a joint press conference with Hussein.

As Türkiye, Iraq, Syria, "we must combine all our means and destroy both Daesh [ISIL] and PKK terror groups," he stated. "In this context, we want to establish close relations between Iraq and the new administration in Syria."

Fidan’s visit was set to include meetings with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani.

Turkish sources said Fidan was expected to discuss expanding Türkiye's economic and trade relations with Iraq during his trip.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Iraq last April, his first in over a decade, was a milestone in Turkish-Iraqi relations. The trip saw the signing of a strategic framework agreement covering 26 areas of cooperation, including security and economic matters.