UPDATE - Türkiye and EU agree on need to maintain Syria’s sovereignty and 'particularly on establishing inclusive governance’: President Erdogan

UPDATES WITH REMARKS BY PRESIDENT ERDOGAN

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - In the post-Assad era, Türkiye and the EU are in agreement on the need to preserve Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, with a particular focus on creating an inclusive government, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

“We agree on maintaining Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity, particularly on establishing inclusive governance,” Erdogan told a joint news conference alongside Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU Commission, who is visiting the capital Ankara.

The meeting addressed the latest developments in Syria “in detail,” Erdogan said, adding that the “oppression, pressure, and darkness” of the 61-year-old Baath regime left Syria “literally, a great wreckage.”

“We are faced with a Syria where one million people have been killed, half of the population has been displaced, and the country is exhausted after 13 years of conflict. It is impossible for the Syrian people to bear this heavy burden alone,” Erdogan said, urging neighboring countries, the EU, and international organizations to support strongly Syria’s recovery process.

“During the 13 years of massacre, the international community unfortunately did not, and could not, provide sufficient support to the Syrian people,” he added.

Erdogan said this situation can be rectified by supporting Syria's reconstruction and rebuilding efforts.

Mentioning how Türkiye last weekend reopened its embassy in Syria, Erdogan reiterated Ankara’s support to Syrians.

“In this process, the country needs to be removed from being a haven for terrorism,” he stated.

On combatting terrorism, Erdogan said Türkiye is the only country that has defeated the terrorist groups PKK and Daesh/ISIS on the ground, adding that Ankara is also the sole NATO ally in this class.

Türkiye will not allow either Daesh/ISIS or the PKK to grow, Erdogan vowed, adding that there is no place for either terrorist groups or their affiliates to have any place “in the future of our region.”

With the ouster of Syria's Assad regime, the terrorist PKK/YPG has been seeking to exploit the country's instability and power vacuum.

In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants, and the elderly.

The YPG is the PKK's offshoot in Syria, an area where for years the group has tried to establish a terrorist corridor along the Turkish border.

In recent years Türkiye has deployed troops and worked with local allies such as the opposition Syrian National Army to prevent this and keep locals and the border safe from terrorist oppression.

Erdogan also expressed Ankara’s expectation that the bloc diversify its support to ease the country's burden and facilitate voluntary returns from Türkiye to Syria.

“It is crucial that this support is comprehensive, long-term, and sustainable, including investments in basic infrastructure in Syria,” he added, expressing Türkiye’s readiness to work with the EU.

During the Syrian civil war, some 4 million Syrians took shelter in Türkiye, more than any other country in the world.

-Türkiye-EU relations

EU membership remains “a strategic goal for Türkiye,” Erdogan said, adding that Türkiye’s EU membership “clearly” will bring significant benefits not only to the country itself but also to the bloc.

Türkiye has been an EU candidate country since 1999. Its membership negotiations started in 2005 but entered a stalemate after 2007 due to the Cyprus issue and political opposition by several member states to Türkiye’s membership.

Pointing to the latest developments both regionally and globally, Erdogan said they “have further solidified Türkiye’s position as “a key country.”

The meeting also addressed steps to revitalize relations between the bloc and Ankara, said Erdogan, expressing his expectation that the EU will present “a new vision that will strengthen” the country’s membership perspective.

Erdogan also urged that relations between Türkiye and the EU not be held “hostage to the narrow agendas of some members” of the bloc, referring to political blockage of Türkiye’s EU bid.

“In this regard, we were pleased to observe that President (von der Leyen) also values close cooperation and dialogue,” he added.

Erdogan underlined the need for a stronger, more institutionalized relationship with the EU, adding that as a candidate country, “We are committed to this goal.”

Citing two long-standing priorities for Türkiye, Erdogan also expressed hope for decisions from the EU that will move towards updating the Customs Union and accelerating visa processes for Turkish citizens until visa liberalization is achieved.

"I hope that by holding a Türkiye-EU summit, we can elevate our relations to the level they deserve,” he added.

Türkiye has long pressed for an update to the 1995 Customs Union with the EU, saying this would benefit both sides.

Amid reports that numerous Turkish citizens cannot get visas for EU countries or even appointments to do so, Ankara has reiterated arguments that the EU broke its promise of visa liberalization under a 2016 pact. The EU claims Türkiye has not implemented the requirements for visa liberalization.

- Situation in Gaza

Erdogan said that he had urged a halt to Israel’s attacks in Gaza, adding: “With the arrival of winter, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened."

Stressing that the over 45,000 people in Gaza who lost their lives to Israeli attacks were mostly women, children, or the elderly, Erdogan underlined the importance of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and achieving a lasting cease-fire.

He also highlighted the significance of Europe’s pressure on the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its government, which have long resisted efforts to reach a cease-fire.

On the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, now over 1,000 days old, Erdogan said he had shared Ankara’s observations and views on the urgent need to establish “a fair and stable peace in Ukraine."