Türkiye, Jordan agree on a road map to help Syria
ANKARA
Türkiye and Jordan have agreed on a road map to help Syria in its endeavors to build a new political system and reconstruct the war-torn country during high-level talks between the two regional powers.
Türkiye’s foreign and defense ministers, Hakan Fidan and Yaşar Güler, as well as intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın met with their counterparts, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Chief of General Major General Yousef Huneiti and intelligence chief Major General Ahmad Husni, together in the Turkish capital on Jan. 6 in a 3+3 format meeting.
Following the meetings Fidan and Safadi held a press conference to inform about the discussions and decisions taken for regional stability.
“We have decided to work together to help our Syrian brothers through a road map we agreed on,” Fidan said, underlining that Turkish and Jordanian authorities will coordinate joint efforts on the development of Syria, including on transportation, energy, food security and agriculture.
The lasting stability and security of Syria is very important to both Türkiye and Jordan as neighboring countries, Fidan stressed, “We are of the same view that our Syrian brothers should be supported in their efforts to establish a new administration and that we should show solidarity.”
Fidan added that the platform created by Türkiye and Jordan is open to other neighboring countries such as Iraq and Lebanon so that all the regional stakeholders can jointly work for strengthening regional cooperation and stability.
For his part, the Jordanian top diplomat underscored that Türkiye and Jordan aim to further increase their cooperation and coordination to secure stability and security in Syria which will also have an impact on regional peace.
“We are both neighboring countries: The stability of Syria is the stability of Jordan and Türkiye. We are willing to see the Syrian people build their sovereign state and live in freedom. Our support to the new administration is full,” he stated.
No place for terror in new Syria
Both ministers have also raised their joint position over the need for creating a new Syria where terrorism will have no domination.
Jordanian minister described PKK as a terror organization threatening Türkiye and expressed his country’s support to Türkiye’s counterterrorism efforts against the organization. “We are supporting Türkiye’s struggle against PKK,” he said, adding PKK does not represent the Kurds in Syria.
Fidan underlined that PKK and ISIL are two main terror organizations that pose a threat to the unity and security of Syria and all the regional countries.
“We have discussed in detail with the participation of our military and intelligence officials on how we can cooperate in the fight against DAESH if they attempt to resurrect,” Fidan stated.
“DAESH is a poison for Muslim countries,” he said, repeating that this group has no place in the region and elsewhere.
“We will not allow PKK to benefit from the ongoing situation,” Fidan also said. Türkiye is effectively fighting the group inside Türkiye but the main problem is about the presence of this group in Iraq and Syria, Fidan urged all the countries that wish to prolong their partnership, with PKK under the pretext of an anti-ISIL struggle.
Türkiye can contribute to the new Syrian administration in its efforts to control the prisons and camps where ISIL members and their families are kept, the minister stated.
“But if you have other plans through supporting YPG on the pretext of fighting DAESH, we will not tolerate it,” Fidan said, adding Türkiye is able to spoil these plans.