Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the issue of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which operate under the name Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), was among the key files he discussed with American officials during his recent visit to the United States.
He added that one of the main factors that caused talks between the Syrian government and the SDF to stall was that the latter sometimes tended to veer off course and seek opportunities in a new regional crisis, stressing the need to remind them that such attempts would not benefit them, as he put it.
In an interview with Turkish channel AHABER, broadcast on Saturday, 15 November, Fidan underlined the importance of the negotiation track between the two sides, noting that it had stopped after Israel’s intervention in the south due to certain developments in the region.
He continued, “We must move forward on this issue within a certain shared understanding”, adding that the incorporation of the organization into the American system under the pretext of fighting the Islamic State group, to obtain certain political investments, is something that must be brought to an end at a certain point in a way that benefits all parties.
He explained that there are negotiations and talks with the Americans to ensure that these discussions reach a specific point.
Pushing back the Israeli threat
The Turkish foreign minister affirmed that his country is working with the Americans to keep the Israeli threat away from Syria, and to ensure that Syria, in turn, does not pose a threat to Israel, and that everyone respects each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
He added that part of Syrian territory is under occupation, noting that this occupation must end and that any approach that threatens the rest of Syria must be avoided.
Fidan pointed to the importance of American support for the system, prosperity, and stability in Syria, explaining that there is Israeli provocation in southern Syria that specifically targets the Druze.
A highly significant step
Fidan said that removing the name of the Syrian president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and his associates from the United Nations list of terrorist organizations was a highly significant diplomatic step, expressing his gratitude to the members of the UN Security Council.
The Turkish foreign minister added that taking Syria’s interests, territorial integrity, the welfare of its people, and peace into account, and advancing its causes with the countries of the region, are steps in foreign policy that only states like Turkey, “which have a long and deep cultural and strategic history to do so”, can pursue, as he put it.
Fidan noted that “Turkey’s efforts in Syria, whether for stability, the return of refugees, or securing international legitimacy for the new administration, are among the rare efforts in history”.
He added, “There is nothing more natural than Turkey’s presence there”, emphasizing that identifying these problems, diagnosing them, dealing with them, and moving them forward is not for Turkey’s benefit alone.
He stressed that what most distinguishes Turkey in its foreign policy is that when it addresses an issue, it does not do so only for its own interests, but also wants for other countries in the region what it wants for itself, and seeks to advance everyone’s interests.
Syrian – Turkish – American meeting
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the trilateral meeting between Syria, Turkey, and the United States, held at the White House on 10 November, focused on what can be done to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria under the Caesar Act, to help the Syrian economy recover.
Fidan stated during a press conference at the White House that the trilateral meeting he held with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the three countries’ visions and prospects for enhancing cooperation.
Fidan added that the US envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, is working “intensively” on the Syrian file, whether in relation to ties between Washington and Damascus, issues connected to southern Syria and the border with Israel, or the northern border areas with Turkey, considering that “having such an active envoy is an important asset”.
He pointed out that Turkey had hosted a similar meeting in the state of Antalya in May and that the latest meeting in Washington is a continuation of that dialogue.
The Turkish minister noted that the current focus is on what can be done to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria under the Caesar Act, adding that although some limited exemptions have been granted through American presidential decisions, completely repealing the Caesar Act in Congress is a necessary step.
Fidan stressed that the US administration needs to adopt a position in favor of repealing the Caesar Act and recommend this to Congress, emphasizing the importance of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa meeting with several members of Congress during the transitional phase, given that they will vote on repealing the law.
Fidan explained that the meeting also touched on the situation in Suwayda Province (southern Syria) and in northeastern Syria, where the Syrian Democratic Forces are present, emphasizing the importance of these talks in discussing the future of those areas.
Fidan said, “If the problems in these areas are not managed carefully, Syria may face a real threat that affects its territorial integrity and unity, and it is important that the Americans recognize this, and I believe they do.”
The Turkish foreign minister noted that Syria must remain unified, that the safety of lives and property must be safeguarded, and that ethnic and religious components must not be subjected to any pressure, considering that achieving this balance requires significant effort and that it is also necessary to ensure that no party poses a threat to others.
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