Türkiye's has a 'very important role' to foster inclusive dialogue in Syria: UN chief

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday underlined Türkiye’s “very important role” in fostering inclusive dialogue in Syria.

"I believe Türkiye, which has been a very clear supporter of the Syrian people and the Syrian resistance in Idlib, has a very important role to play in convincing the key Syrian actors," Guterres said at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York.

He stressed the need to have "an inclusive process of dialogue," and said: "We need to create the conditions that allow for a permanent cease-fire."

Guterres further noted the need to prevent the presence of the Daesh/ISIS terror group and its terror activities in Syria.

Asked about the lifting of sanctions on Syria, Guterres said, "We should not forget that the sanctions were applied to the Assad regime. The situation has changed."

"Obviously, we are in a process of transition and in a process of transition, I think there is work to be done by both sides," he said.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.