Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Monday’s declaration by the PKK to dissolve itself was historic for the region in terms of ensuring security and stability.
“We will closely monitor the next steps,” he said during a news conference in the capital, Ankara, with the foreign ministers of Syria and Jordan.
“There are practical steps that need to be taken after this decision. We will monitor them. If this decision is sincerely put into practice, it will be very beneficial for our future,” Fidan said. He noted that the decision was the result of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli’s historic call to the PKK and the strong will demonstrated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a terror-free Türkiye.
“I believe we can resolve our own problems with our own wisdom and will. This is an extraordinarily important step. We have now more details to think upon, but I have nothing more to add in this positive climate,” Fidan said as he answered questions.
At the news conference, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani congratulated Türkiye, calling the dissolution move “a pivotal moment” for regional stability.
“On behalf of the Syrian Arab Republic, I congratulate the Turkish government and its people. This step represents a pivotal moment not only for Türkiye’s internal security but for the stability of our region as a whole,” he said.
Syria itself is home to the U.S.-backed YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK. Damascus recently reached a deal with the group for their integration into the post-Assad security of Syria, but later, the YPG apparently reneged on a deal to avoid wider autonomy in the northeast when it called for a “decentralized” Syria. Fidan said at the news conference that Türkiye was ready to support Syria in the fight against terrorism, namely against Daesh and the YPG. “The fact that the YPG occupies one-fifth of Syrian lands is a major threat. We discussed how we can tackle this matter,” Fidan said.