Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan rejected U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s claim of a so-called Turkish “takeover” in Syria, as he said it would disrespect the will of the Syrian people.
“We wouldn’t call it a takeover, because it would be a grave mistake to present what’s been happening in Syria” in those terms, Fidan told broadcaster Al Jazeera in an interview.
“For Syrian people, it is not a takeover. I think if there is any takeover, it’s the will of the Syrian people which is taking over now.”
Fidan’s comments came in response to Trump’s recent statement, in which he said Türkiye has a strong army but “did an unfriendly takeover” without a lot of lives being lost.
While Trump said “nobody knows” what future lies ahead for post-Assad Syria, he said he thinks Türkiye is going to play a key role in the country’s future.
Fidan also warned that domination culture has destroyed the region, as he said cooperation, rather than domination, was essential.
In response to a question about whether Ankara would launch a cross-border operation against the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, Fidan said there would be no reason for such a move if Syria’s new rulers “properly” addressed the issue of the terrorist groups.
“There is a new administration in Damascus now. I think this is primarily their concern now,” Fidan said.
“So, I think if they are going to, if they address this issue properly, so there would be no reason for us to intervene.”
Fidan also called for urgent support for Gaza and Lebanon at a summit of the Developing Eight (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
In his speech at the summit, held in the Egyptian capital Cairo, Fidan highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis Palestinians face as a result of Israel’s brutal actions have led to thousands of deaths, and an estimated billions of dollars of damage.
Stressing that Gaza and Lebanon are in dire need of assistance, he reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to its “brothers,” offering its resources and expertise.
Fidan also underscored the importance of regional ownership in ensuring stability and peace in the Middle East.
He called for solidarity against Israel’s aggression, particularly toward D-8 members like Egypt and Iran. He said that while the D-8 has immense potential, it has yet to fully realize it.
The minister further pointed out the significant role that young people can play in strengthening the organization and encouraged all members to cooperate more effectively.
Fidan highlighted the critical role that small and medium-sized enterprises play in the development of countries, as well as the need to embrace technology to foster innovation.
He reiterated Türkiye’s full support for Azerbaijan’s membership in the D-8, expressing confidence that its accession would be approved at the organization’s next summit.
The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye.