ISTANBUL
Türkiye is ready to continue supporting Syria in many areas where it sees a need, within the framework of mutual agreements, diplomatic sources said Thursday.
Noting that Syria could choose to enter into an agreement with any country if it saw a problem with its security, the sources said that Ankara, in line with its own security and threat assessments in the region, is open to addressing any issue that would serve bilateral cooperation with Damascus.
Stressing that Syria has entered a new era with the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime, they highlighted that the Syrian people are trying to heal the wounds of the 14-year conflict.
The Syrian people are also carrying out a political transition process to determine their future under their own leadership and ownership, the sources added.
They also highlighted the importance of supporting the steps taken by the Syrian government to integrate into the regional and international community and its efforts to bring security, stability and prosperity to its own country.
The way to rid Syria and the region of the risk of instability is through more support and more intense engagement, including the removal of sanctions the country faces, the sources noted.
Türkiye has made intense efforts to develop an engagement and common understanding between the countries of the region and the Syrian government in the period following the ouster of the regime, they said.
"These efforts continued with contacts and meetings involving other important stakeholders, including the US, and the advancement of the engagement between the international community and the Syrian government was supported.
"The backbone of Türkiye's Syria policy consists of ensuring national reconciliation by protecting the territorial integrity and unity of the country, establishing security and stability in the country by clearing terrorist elements, and ensuring the reconstruction of Syria by lifting sanctions," the sources said.
Türkiye has adopted an attitude of unconditionally supporting the Syrian government and people, who have seized an historic opportunity to achieve these goals, they added.
- 'Consolidation process is being closely monitored'
Regarding the situation in the field in Syria, the sources said it was seen that the military activity in the south of the country had partially stopped and that work had begun on the integration of the armed groups in the south of the country into the new army.
They noted however, that individual clashes occurred from time to time due to the influence of provocations and instigation.
"One of the important developments in the field was the US's announcement that it would consolidate by reducing its military presence.
"The US has not announced a specific timetable for consolidation, and it plans to advance the process gradually based on the assessment of the situation in the field.
"In the meantime, it encourages cooperation between Syria and Iraq in terms of both ensuring border security and combating terrorism. This consolidation process is being closely monitored," they added.
- Protecting Syria's territorial integrity, unity
"The contact traffic within the scope of the agreement signed between the government in Damascus and the 'SDF' continues,” the sources said.
Meanwhile, “a conference called 'Kurdish Unity and Stance' was held in Qamishli on April 26, 2025 with the participation of the Syrian Kurdish National Council formed by the PYD and KDP parties.”
The sources also highlighted that the Syrian government issued a statement saying that the messages given at this conference were not in line with the agreement reached.
The protection of Syria's territorial integrity and unity is a fundamental priority for the Syrian government, as it is for Türkiye, the sources underscored.
They also noted the importance of achieving this goal within a central administration and by granting equal citizenship rights to all elements of Syria, as explained in the constitutional declaration.
They underscored that Ankara wants to see an environment where the Syrian Constitution to be prepared and the Syrian administration provide equal opportunities to all ethnic groups and faith groups in the country.
"Türkiye does not accept any initiative that will prevent a system where citizens in Syria can benefit from equal rights and freedoms based on constitutional guarantees and where they can confidently and without hesitation present their own identities and faiths.
"Fighting terrorist elements and separatist movements in Syria constitutes the primary responsibility of the Syrian government," they said.
Türkiye has provided the necessary space to allow these problems to be overcome based on the method preferred by the Syrian government, the sources said.
Ankara's wish is "for the agreement reached between the Syrian government and the 'SDF' to be implemented by preventing formations affiliated with the terrorist organization from becoming effective on the political and military level," they noted.
The sources also expressed the expectation that the PKK terror group will respond positively to the call for disarmament as soon as possible, lay down its weapons and cease to be an obstacle to the return to normal in the region.
They highlighted that Türkiye does not accept any initiative that targets Syria's territorial integrity, undermines its sovereignty, allows weapons to be carried outside the central authority in Syria, and ensures the continuation of terrorist organizations.
If the PKK terrorist organization and its extensions do not dissolve themselves in Syria, there is the necessary will and means to ensure that the terrorist organization is removed from the system by other means, the sources noted.
On fighting terrorism, they pointed to a meeting held in Jordan's capital Amman on March 9 where the foreign and defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of Syria and four neighboring countries came together, noting that Türkiye was represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin.
The sources highlighted that an agreement was reached at the meeting to establish a joint operations center for the purpose of combating terrorism, based on the principle of regional ownership and in support of current international efforts, and noted that contacts and technical studies with the interlocutors on this issue were carried out in coordination with the relevant institutions and that a meeting is planned to be held in the future.
Jailed PKK ringleader Abdullah Ocalan in February called for the dissolution of the PKK and all groups under it, urging an end to its terror campaign spanning over 40 years.
In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG/PYD is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.
- Efforts to lift sanctions against Syria continue
In terms of political developments in Syria, the sources said that after the formation of the technocrat-heavy transitional cabinet on March 29, appointments to the top management of the ministries are ongoing, adding: "It is also understood that efforts to determine the members of the People's Assembly have begun.”
"As stated in the Constitutional Declaration, it is envisaged that one-third of the members of the People's Assembly will be determined by the President, and the remaining members will be determined by the Committees to be established on a provincial basis by the President."
On developments at the global level, the sources underlined that the US maintains its stance of keeping its distance from the Syrian government but noted that Washington has entered into a certain level of engagement with Damascus.
The sources said it is understood that the US expects the Syrian government to take certain confidence-building steps in order to advance its engagement and enable the lifting of sanctions.
Stressing that as a result of Türkiye's repeated initiatives, important developments have been made in the context of easing the sanctions imposed by the US, EU and the UK and providing exemptions from sanctions, they added that multifaceted efforts to completely lift these sanctions targeting the regime period are ongoing.
Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8 after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus, marking the end of the Baath Party’s rule that began in 1963.
A transitional administration was announced on Jan. 29, which is led by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
