Ankara urges Assad regime to reconcile with opposition for peace in Syria

ANKARA

The Turkish top diplomat has urged the Assad regime to reconcile with the opposition groups to reinstate peace and stability in Syria amid continued advances of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allied factions which now control the country’s second largest city, Aleppo.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Ankara on Dec. 2 to discuss the recent escalation in Syria. Araghchi came to Türkiye from Syria where he expressed his country’s firm support to the Assad regime.

“Recent developments once again show Syrian regime must reconcile with its own people and legitimate opposition. Türkiye is ready to contribute to this end,” Fidan said at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart.

The minister explained that the reason for the recent escalation has stemmed from the Damascus’ unwillingness to sit around the same table with the opposition groups and resolve the problems of Syria.

“Therefore, it would be a wrong assessment to blame foreign interventions as the reason of the current problem,” Fidan said, in an indirect response to his Iranian counterpart who accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the recent attacks against Damascus.

Recalling that the Astana Process led by Türkiye, Russia and Iran have resulted in a creation of de-escalation in the northern Syria but Damascus has rejected to benefit from this relative calmness through talks with the opposition groups, Fidan said, underlining once again the need for a political solution to the problems of this country which is in a civil war since 2011.

The Turkish minister explained that Türkiye was aware that the status quo was not sustainable and was urging all the parties for the resumption of talks in Syria. “Even our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has underlined this need for the reconciliation,” Fidan recalled.

“In reminiscent of bitter memories of the past, we don’t want to see escalation in the Syrian civil war. We don’t want to see the destruction of the civilian infrastructure through heavy bombardment,” Fidan said. He also underlined the need for the return of the Syrian refugees to their homeland. He also stressed that Türkiye attaches importance of the protection of Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Fight against terror will continue

Minister Fidan also touched on the presence of the YPG terror organization in the northern Syria and underlined “Türkiye will not allow any terror organization to benefit from the ongoing events.”

The minister also underlined that Türkiye would disallow any terror organization to pose a threat on its borders and nationals by taking advantage of the instability in Syria.

Astana Process to reconvene

For his part, Iranian minister blamed the U.S. and Israel for the escalation in Syria and described the capture of Aleppo by the opposition groups as dangerous for the regional stability.

Araghchi underlined the differences between Türkiye and Iran on the developments in Syria but also underscored the importance of continued dialogue between the neighbors of this country.

“We have agreed to continue to the Astana Process meetings at the foreign ministers’ level,” he said.

“I should once again tell that Iran’s firm support to Syria and its army will endure.”