Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed regional developments with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a phone call Sunday, focusing on the U.N. chief's visits to Syria and the island of Cyprus, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
Earlier on Sunday, Fidan discussed Iran-U.S. talks with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to discuss the ongoing negotiation process between Iran and the United States.
The U.N. will submit a detailed report to the Security Council later this month on Israeli violations in Syria, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Sunday.
Speaking at a news conference in Damascus, Guterres stressed that violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are "unacceptable,” urging Israel to comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
"The atrocities Syria has witnessed have not broken the Syrian people’s resolve to pursue their legitimate aspirations,” he added.
He also warned that U.N. humanitarian assistance currently meets only around 20% of the Syrian people’s needs.
Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday for a three-day visit and held talks with President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, during which he reaffirmed the U.N.’s commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and called on the international community to support the country’s recovery.
Syria's new authorities, who took power in December 2024, are trying to turn the page after more than 13 years of war, and to reboot the economy and rebuild infrastructure and institutions.
Western countries, including the U.S., have begun lifting economic sanctions on Syria. But investors have remained cautious, as the World Bank has estimated the country's post-war reconstruction could cost $216 billion.
The U.N. announced Thursday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will travel to Cyprus to advance the peace process.
"The secretary-general will travel to Cyprus from the 27 to the 29 of July as part of his good officer's mission and his strong demonstrated commitment to the Cyprus issue," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference.
Noting that Guterres will meet Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhurman and Nikos Christodoulides, the Greek Cypriot administration leader, Dujarric said the U.N. chief will also meet "other stakeholders and discuss efforts to advance the peace process and support stability on the island, including through the work of the U.N. peacekeeping mission on the ground there, UNFICYP."
