There has been a recent increase in activity toward Syrian-Turkish rapprochement, as well as renewed diplomatic efforts involving other key players in the Syrian conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Syria on Thursday for an unofficial visit following a visit to Turkey. In addition, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that Moscow would host a meeting next weekend involving representatives from Syria, Turkey, Russia, and Iran. The purpose of this meeting will be to prepare for a meeting of the foreign ministers from these four countries.
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According to informed sources cited by Al-Watan, the Iranian Foreign Minister arrived in Syria from Turkey and will engage in talks to enhance bilateral relations and address the latest regional developments. These discussions are expected to include ongoing efforts to organize a quadripartite meeting involving the foreign ministers of Syria, Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
During a press conference on Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Minister commented on recent diplomatic efforts related to the Syrian crisis. He mentioned that a meeting involving defence ministers and intelligence chiefs from Turkey, Syria, and Russia was recently held in a tripartite format. Following this meeting, Turkey and Iran agreed on Iran’s participation in upcoming talks as part of the Astana track. The Foreign Minister further noted that the Astana track is currently the only forum that has been effective in addressing the Syrian crisis.
He stressed that “the talks and preparations for holding the talks of foreign ministers in a quadripartite format are continuing,” announcing that “next week there will be a quadripartite meeting in Russia, in which deputy foreign ministers will participate, to prepare for the meeting of foreign ministers.”
It is worth noting that the recent focus on the Syrian-Turkish rapprochement comes after a temporary pause in discussions due to the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey on February 6th. Prior to this, preparations were underway for a meeting involving the foreign ministers of Turkey and Syria and their Russian and Iranian counterparts. This meeting was seen as a potential step forward, especially following Turkey’s withdrawal from its position in the town of Qastoun in the Idleb countryside. According to sources familiar with the discussions, the defence ministers of Turkey, Russia, and Syria concluded in a meeting held in Moscow on December 28, 2022, that Turkey would fully withdraw from the territories it controls in northern Syria. Furthermore, Ankara affirmed its commitment to respecting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and discussions were held on implementing the 2020 agreement regarding the opening of the M4 road.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
