Caretaker Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad held an open dialogue in Cairo on Wednesday with a group of Egyptian media professionals, intellectuals, and writers at the Syrian embassy. The discussion covered various issues related to Syria’s stance on regional developments.
Mekdad addressed the Syrian delegation’s withdrawal from an Arab League meeting after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan began his speech. He stated, “There will be no dealings with Turkey until our demands are met,” according to Al-Masry al-Youm. Mekdad added that for Syrian-Turkish cooperation to progress and relations to normalize, Turkey must withdraw from the Arab territories it occupies in northern Syria and western Iraq.
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He reflected on the once-strategic relationship with Turkey at the beginning of the century, emphasizing that Syria and Turkey had aimed to liberate occupied Arab territories. However, he criticized Turkey for deploying its army in northern Syria, stressing the need for Turkey to abandon these policies for the benefit of both peoples.
Mekdad also mentioned Egypt’s potential role in facilitating Syrian-Turkish rapprochement, expressing confidence in Egypt’s efforts to support Syria’s interests. He noted that Syria and Egypt share common positions on 90% of the issues discussed.
The dialogue addressed the return of Syrian refugees, with Mekdad stating that Syria welcomes their return and urging the West to support this process rather than hinder it through sanctions. He provided updates on Syria’s improving relations with Arab countries, particularly Egypt, in light of Syria’s reinstatement in the Arab League.
Mekdad clarified that Syria has not arrested any returning refugees and has dropped all political and security charges against them, except for personal rights issues. He stressed that Syria is working in cooperation with the United Nations to facilitate the return of refugees and improve living conditions.
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.
