The defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of Türkiye, Syria, Russia and Iran will meet on Tuesday in Moscow, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Monday as Ankara and Damascus are taking gradual steps for enhanced engagement.
“Our aim is to resolve the problems here through negotiations and to ensure peace and tranquility prevail in the region as soon as possible,” Akar said.
He reiterated that the defense ministers and intelligence heads of Türkiye, Russia and Syria had come together on Dec. 28., during which it was agreed that such meetings should continue.
“Later, views were exchanged on the participation of Iran in these meetings. The relevant authorities approved this.”
Akar underlined that Ankara expected “positive developments” following tomorrow’s meeting.
He said that Türkiye is decisive in its fight against terrorism while against further migration, aiming for the return of Syrians from Türkiye safely and voluntarily.
“We have Syrian brothers and sisters with whom we are together, whether they are in Türkiye or Syria. It is out of the question for us to take any decision that will endanger them. We follow a very clear policy in this regard,” he added.
Russia’s long-standing effort to open a channel of dialogue between Türkiye and the Bashar Assad regime paid off last year, as the defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of Türkiye, Russia and the Assad regime met in Moscow.
Any normalization between Ankara and Damascus would reshape the decadelong Syrian war. Turkish backing has been vital to sustaining moderate Syrian opposition in their last significant territorial foothold in the northwest after Assad defeated opponents across the rest of the country, aided by Russia and Iran.
However, according to statements from the Assad regime, Damascus wants the end of the Turkish presence on Syrian territories.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield in 2016, Olive Branch in 2018 and Peace Spring in 2019.
The PKK terrorist group’s Syrian wing, the YPG, has controlled much of northeastern Syria after Assad’s forces withdrew in 2012.
Turkish officials have voiced that Ankara and Damascus could cooperate on the return of Syrian refugees in Türkiye and counterterrorism efforts as the PKK/YPG still controls much of the war-torn country’s east, making it impossible for Assad to establish territorial integrity.
Conversely, normalization has also been ongoing with the regime and the Arab world.
