Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday said US President Donald Trump should be convinced to withdraw American troops from Syria, adding that it would be cost-effective for Washington.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Trump had a “highly positive” call, showing Trump’s respect for Erdoğan, which was clearly demonstrated during conversation, Fidan said during an iftar event with journalists.
Ankara is cautious about the agreement signed by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Ferhat Abdi Şahin, said Fidan, adding that the country will closely monitor the process in the short term.
The rights denied to Syria’s Kurds under the ousted Assad regime must be granted, including citizenship, cultural, and political rights, ensuring equality, Fidan added.
He urged Syria to focus on how to remove Israel from the Syrian territory and manage the process in cooperation with the international community.
Five countries met in Jordan to establish a center for joint operations and intelligence against ISIS (Daesh) with the technical teams currently working on its setup, he announced.
Türkiye can contribute to the peacekeeping force in Ukraine “if parties agree to establish” it to settle the Russia-Ukraine war in a future phase, he further said.
Visa liberalization with Europe is vital to resolve visa issues, as the current system cannot meet Türkiye’s growing demand while restrictions remain, the minister added.