Committee on Türkiye-Syria ties to meet as soon as possible: Turkish foreign minister

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) – Foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia, Iran, and Syria on Wednesday agreed to form a committee to normalize relations between Türkiye and Syria, the Turkish foreign minister said, adding the committee is expected to meet as soon as possible.

Speaking to reporters in Türkiye’s southern Antalya province after a quadripartite foreign ministerial meeting on Syria, Mevlut Cavusoglu said the foreign ministers agreed to continue high-level contacts and technical meetings during talks in Moscow.

Cavusoglu said: "In today's meeting, we also decided to form a committee with the participation of deputy foreign ministers and relevant institutions, National Defense Ministry and Turkish Intelligence, to prepare a roadmap to advance the process gradually.”

During the meeting on Syria, the participants exchanged views on efforts to normalize relations between Türkiye and Syria and discussed counter-terrorism, the political processes, and humanitarian matters, including the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of Syrians, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

“The participants also reaffirmed their commitment to Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and the official declarations issued under the 'Astana Format',” according to a joint statement released after the talks.

The Astana format talks were launched in 2017 to restore peace and stability in Syria, which has been rocked by over a decade of conflict since pro-democracy protests in 2011.

- Talks on Black Sea grain deal

Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine, and the UN began two-day talks on the Black Sea grain deal in Istanbul later on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said.

The meeting will be attended by the deputy foreign ministers and deputy national defense ministers from Türkiye and Russia as well as the deputy infrastructure minister from Ukraine, the top diplomat said.

Cavusoglu hoped that they will get a positive result at the meeting regarding the extension of the initiative.

“I think sides can reach a consensus to extend the deal for at least two more months after a meeting is held between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the final phase,” Cavusoglu added.

The extension of the initiative, as well as the development of a detailed and safe evacuation plan for the return of merchant ships and their crews stranded in Ukrainian ports due to the conflict, will be discussed during the talks in Istanbul, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

The deal is set to expire on May 18.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed the agreement in Istanbul last July to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were halted after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.