Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan highlighted the importance of Syria’s unity and complete elimination of all terrorist groups from the country, as he met with his Syrian counterpart in the capital Ankara on Wednesday.
“It is time for all ethnic and religious groups in Syria to come together in unity,” Fidan told a joint news conference with Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani.
Fidan said Türkiye offered to provide operational support to Syria regarding its fight against Daesh terrorists. He welcomed the stance of the new Syrian administration on the issue of terrorists, saying that the Assad regime hosted terrorist groups posing a threat to Türkiye for years.
The top Turkish diplomat also highlighted the importance of lifting sanctions on Syria, which he said would ensure the reconstruction of infrastructure, provide vital services, and facilitate the return of millions of Syrian refugees.
He also noted that Türkiye’s Consulate General in Aleppo would resume operations on Jan. 20.
For his part, al-Shaibani underlined the importance of Syria’s territorial unity, saying that his administration wants all territories under the central government to be united under the same roof.
He also said no threat should be posed to Türkiye from Syrian territory.