Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged the Syrian regime to integrate its forces with the opposition and achieve reconciliation to confront the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria, aiming to unify the country and end the war. Fidan emphasized that the current calm and cessation of hostilities should be utilized by Damascus to address constitutional issues and secure peace with its adversaries. Stressing the repatriation of refugees, he highlighted that the achievement by Russia and Turkey in Syria has been the reduction in hostilities between the regime and the opposition. Fidan underscored in an interview with the Turkish channel Haberturk on Monday night, “Our objective is for the Syrian regime to use this period of tranquillity wisely to resolve constitutional issues and achieve peace with its adversaries.” He also urged Damascus to capitalize on the calm to “facilitate the return of millions of Syrian refugees who have fled abroad, and to kickstart the country’s reconstruction and economic recovery.” Fidan reiterated the importance of Syrian refugees returning from Turkey, asserting, “We believe that a unified Syria, comprising government and opposition forces, will play a crucial role in combating PKK terrorism.”
Sources associated with the Syrian regime dismissed reports on Monday of any military or security meetings with Turkey at the Russian Hemeimeem base in western Syria. These sources affirmed Damascus’ adherence to its conditions for advancing talks, foremost among them Ankara’s commitment to withdrawing its forces from Syrian territory and ceasing support for opposition factions. Al-Watan newspaper, semi-official, quoted informed sources confirming the inaccuracy of Turkish media reports about meetings at the Hemeimeem base and emphasizing that the regime’s approach to reconciliation hinges on Turkey’s withdrawal from Syrian soil as a primary step.
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.
