Syria’s Assad not ready for normalization with Türkiye: FM

ANKARA

Syrian President Bashar Assad is not prepared to normalize ties with the Syrian opposition and, by extension, with Türkiye, the Turkish foreign minister has stated, warning that deeper instability could ensue if Damascus avoids efforts to resolve its internal problems.

“In this environment of deconflict, Türkiye wants to see the [Syrian] regime and the opposition create a political framework on which they can agree. It is very important that the regime provides a safe and stable environment for the people, including the opposition,” Hakan Fidan told daily Hürriyet in an interview published on Nov. 3.

His remarks followed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent statements that Moscow was ready to resume its mediation service to Türkiye and Syria.

But Fidan underlined that the Syrian regime should first talk to the Syrian oppositional groups and come to an agreement with them.

"However, as we understand, Assad and his partners are not yet ready to find an agreement with the opposition and thus to a bigger normalization."

The minister recalled that Israel continues to attack Syria and terrorist organizations in this country can attempt to benefit from growing chaos. "This can lead Syria to deeper instability. No one wants this," he said.

Türkiye and Syria held direct talks at the ministerial level in 2023, but the process failed after Damascus imposed that Türkiye should first withdraw its troops from its lands.

Türkiye says its withdrawal can only be a part of a larger deal with Syria as this country cannot control its territories where the terrorists are posing a threat on the Turkish borders.

Turkish-American dialogue on Syria continues

On a question, the foreign minister recalled that one of the most serious problems is the fact that the YPG controls one-third of the Syrian territories with the support of the United States.

Türkiye’s priority is to clear these territories from the YPG, Fidan stressed. "In all our conversations with our American counterparts, we remind them that they should given an edn to their partnership with the YPG."

The fact that this is an issue on the table with the Americans is showing a positive trend, he added.

Netanyahu may expand war based on US poll results

On the ongoing escalation in the Middle East, Fidan urged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may further seek to expand the conflict in the region according to the results of the presidential polls in the United States.

“Israel’s main target is to push Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt and in the West Bank to Jordan. This scenario will create bigger instability in the region,” he said.

According to Fidan, Netanyahu may also seek to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capacity after the polls in the U.S.

"Türkiye does not want escalation in the region,” the minister said, informing that Ankara actively took part in efforts to de-escalate through communication directly with Iran and Israel through the American channels.