Turkish Foreign Minister: We’re working to prevent a new conflict between Damascus and the opposition
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that Türkiye pays special attention to ending the ongoing state of conflict between the Syrian army and the opposition, and avoiding the outbreak of a new conflict.
These statements came during a press conference held in the capital, Ankara, on Wednesday, where the Turkish Foreign Minister addressed the recent events in The region is in the context of the ongoing attacks by Israel on the Gaza Strip since last October.
In response to a question about the possibility of a meeting with the Syrian leadership during the quadripartite summit in Moscow ahead of the Turkish presidential elections in May 2023, Fidan indicated that the issue of communication carries multiple dimensions, adding that communication can be whether direct or indirect and at different levels, and stressed that the current priority is to avoid the outbreak of a new conflict between the Syrian army and the opposition, stressing the importance of protecting the framework that was drawn up within the Astana Agreement.
Fidan explained Türkiye’s interest isn’t renewing the conflict as coming for several reasons, as he stressed the importance of stopping conflicts to avoid the influx of more refugees.
He also pointed out that silence in an environment free of conflict can contribute to forgetting hatred and facilitate moving towards common political positions to build a sustainable future.
Regarding terrorist organizations, Fidan explained that combating them is vital, as it takes advantage of tensions and conflicts to create opportunities for itself, and noted that Türkiye is participating in intense diplomatic efforts and other activities to maintain the balance of the conflict within a certain framework and maintain current positions.
Finally, Fidan addressed the recent military operations led by Türkiye in Iraq, noting full cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government in fighting terrorism, and stressed the improvement of cooperation day after day, stressing that he didn’t see any harm in declaring this.
