Türkiye is working to ensure the safe and dignified return of Syrians to their homes and this would only be possible after holding serious discussions with the other side, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın said Wednesday.
Noting that Ankara has created zones on the Türkiye-Syria border to facilitate the return of Syrian asylum seekers, Kalın said the issue is not something that can be solved overnight.
“Who is a strong leader who can attend talks with Syria? How will it be done and under which framework? These are not easy matters,” Kalın said, adding that Ankara needs assurances to make sure that the Syrian asylum seekers who return to their homes do not come back in bigger groups.
Saying that Türkiye has already launched the process by holding discussions with Russia, Iran and Syria, Kalın noted that the issue needs to be solved in a humanitarian way that will not be a financial burden on Türkiye.
“If you say you will repatriate them tomorrow, then people with common sense will start questioning its viability,” Kalın said, referring to the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP)-led Nation’s Alliance’s pledge to return Syrians to their homes.
Kalın noted that over 500,000 Syrians have permanently returned to their homes so far.
Referring to the talks with Syria, Kalın said Damascus prioritizes one point in the negotiation table, while Türkiye prioritizes three, including preventing the threats posed by the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian wing, the YPG, the participation of Kurds – not affiliated with the YPG/PKK – in the future of Syria, the safe return of Syrians to their homes not just in the north but their hometowns across the country.
“We’re not talking about bringing them to the border area, we’re discussing their organized return to their homes,” he said.
Referring to the fact that the opposition-held Idlib province is currently overcrowded by 2.5 million people, Kalın said the quadrilateral negotiations will aim to ensure that people from Aleppo, Damascus and southern provinces are able to return to their homes.
Through “voluntary return bureaus” set up in 12 provinces with high refugee populations, refugees are able to cross the border under the principle of “safe, voluntary and dignified return” as the Migration Management Directorate of the Interior Ministry says.
So far, more than 554,000 Syrians returned to their country, particularly to the areas liberated from terrorist groups with the support of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The Turkish army was behind operations Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch and Peace Spring to ensure the safety of areas in Türkiye’s north, immediately across the Turkish border, which has been under the threat of terror attacks from Syria.
Through the support of Türkiye, liberated areas have seen improvement in daily life, from new schools and hospitals to better infrastructure.
