World leaders stress Türkiye's pivotal role in Syria

NEW YORK

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday underlined Türkiye's important role to address the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Speaking at a news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York, Guterres emphasized the need for an "inclusive process of dialogue" to create the conditions for a permanent ceasefire in Syria.

"I believe Türkiye, which has been a very clear supporter of the Syrian people and the Syrian resistance in Idlib, has a very important role to play in convincing the key Syrian actors," Guterres said.

The U.N. chief also stressed the need to prevent the resurgence of the ISIL terrorist group and its activities in Syria, underscoring the complex and evolving situation in the country.

Regarding the potential lifting of sanctions on Syria, Guterres noted that the sanctions were initially applied to the Assad regime, and the situation has since changed.

"Obviously, we are in a process of transition and in a process of transition, I think there is work to be done by both sides," he said.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also highlighted Türkiye's pivotal role in Syria during a House of Commons Liaison Committee session.

Starmer addressed the evolving situation in Syria, acknowledging that the removal of the Bashar Assad regime could be seen as a positive development, but cautioned against assuming that the aftermath would necessarily lead to a better future for the country.

Addressing the role of Türkiye, Starmer emphasized the country's significance in the region, agreeing with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's assertion that Türkiye "is going to hold the key to Syria" following the abrupt end of the Assad family's five-decade rule.

"Of course, the role of Türkiye is clearly important, and has been part of our discussions," Starmer said.

"This is a fast-moving, complicated situation. So, I personally wouldn't say it's all about one thing or another. Lots of moving parts here. But is Türkiye an important part of all this? Yeah, absolutely," he added.