FM says Türkiye wants peace in region, urges normalization talks with Syria
ANKARA
Negotiations between Syria and Türkiye have been carried out at various levels in the past, and Ankara wants peace in the region, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday.
“The region has now entered a climate seeking peace and stability. The spirit of the times compels us to seek peace and stability,” Fidan told a joint news conference in Istanbul with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, who is visiting Türkiye.
Noting that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has consistently “kept the door open to dialogue, directly or indirectly,” Fidan underlined the need for dialogue channels with Syria, initiated in various formats since 2017, to yield results.
Fidan added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s call for peace in neighboring Syria is “important,” urging that it be heeded.
“Hopefully, they will understand its significance. This is not a place where any sense of helplessness or weakness resides,” Fidan added.
Dialogue mechanism
Fidan underlined that the current situation in Syria is highly complex, requiring substantial time even to initiate discussions and seriously address the issues.
He underscored that Türkiye considers not only its own needs but also the political independence and territorial integrity of Syria.
In addition, Fidan highlighted the importance of developing a national dialogue mechanism within the framework of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254 principles and pursuing a solution supported by the international community.
Denying claims suggesting that Türkiye’s views on the Syrian opposition have changed, Fidan said that Ankara has not changed its stance.
Fidan stated that Türkiye has been fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Syrian opposition against terrorist groups for years.
Highlighting that it is up to the Syrian opposition to decide the nature of their dialogue with the Syrian regime, he also underlined that Syrian opposition forces have helped prevent increased refugee flows, smuggling, and organized crime in areas under their control, benefiting Türkiye.
On the millions of Syrians who took shelter in Türkiye during the civil war, he said Ankara will not make anyone leave the country against their will, adding: “Provocative claims made in this regard have no validity whatsoever."
Fidan expressed expectations regarding constructive roles from Russia and Iran in the normalization process with Syria.
He mentioned that he also discussed this issue with his Saudi counterpart, expressing confidence that Saudi Arabia will play a constructive role as well.
The remarks came in the wake of Erdoğan saying that Fidan and Turkish diplomats are working on a possible presidential meeting of Erdoğan and Syria’s Bashar Assad, the first one in well over a decade.