US officials’ meeting with new Syrian leadership ‘very significant’: Turkish foreign minister

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - The recent US delegation’s visit to the Syrian capital, Damascus, to meet with the new administration, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is “very significant,” Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated, mentioning that prior to the US officials' visit, European countries and global organizations had already met with the new administration.

“I think it is very significant. Before this visit, we've seen other European countries and international organizations visiting Damascus and contacting new administration there. I think it is important,” said Fidan in an interview with France 24 channel in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Fidan said he is also planning to visit Damascus and meet with the new administration.

To a question why HTS is still on Türkiye's list of terrorist organizations, Fidan said that it is on the list because of the UN's designation of it as a terrorist organization.

“We put them on the list because of UN listing, because we observe the UN Security Council decisions. So now we are having a unique situation where the legality and practicality are contradicting each other here,” Fidan added.

Stating that HTS has not been observed as involved in any terrorist activities in the last 10 years, Fidan said that this is a point that has been identified not only by Türkiye but also by Western intelligence agencies.

Fidan stated that HTS has had good cooperation with Türkiye, especially in intelligence sharing in the fight against Daesh/ISIS, and that they have been very helpful.

He further stated that due to the sensitivity of the matter, they did not disclose this to the public at the time.

“Over the years, they cooperated with us in providing intelligence on Daesh and al Qaeda-related organizations,” Fidan said.

Fidan said that HTS has also cooperated with Türkiye on even “high-level targets,” such as Daesh/ISIS's former leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

- Syrians returning to Syria

Fidan said that Ankara is working to create an environment where Syrians can return to their country safely.

“We are trying to work hard to create an environment in Syria where the refugees in Türkiye, as well as in other countries, can feel that voluntarily, safely, they can go back. We cannot dictate them, and we are not going to force them to go back,” he added.

He stated that there may certainly be a significant increase in returns to Syria in the coming period.

On Trump’s remarks regarding the fall of Bashar al Assad in Syria, Fidan said: “I think he was trying to compliment what had happened. But, we cannot characterize what happened in Syria as a takeover of Türkiye, contrary, if there is any takeover, it is a takeover of the will of the Syrian people.”

- Russia’s military bases in Syria

On whether there was any agreement regarding Russian and Iranian withdrawals from Syria without firing a single shot, Fidan said that he would not call it an agreement.

Noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin, due to his years in power, has transformed “from a technical administrator to a good strategic thinker,” Fidan stated that Putin knows “what is important, what is less important, what can be invested on, what is to be continued, what is not.”

“He has made his calculations and decided not to go ahead anymore,” he added.

However, Fidan said that he does not think Putin has abandoned Assad, pointing out Assad’s fleeing to the Russian capital Moscow.

On Tehran's support for Assad, Fidan stated that Iran has “recalculated all the options” and has taken a “realistic approach.”

Fidan stated that Ankara is not in favor of any foreign military bases in Syria, not just the Russian ones.

“They shall leave. Well, it will be up to the Syrian people. But now, as we see, the Russians are now in the process of redeploying their units, and at the end of the process, we don't know how much of them will continue to stay in Syria, in the bases,” he added.

Drawing attention to the fact that the US has increased its military presence in Syria under the pretext of “fighting ISIS,” Fidan said that “fighting ISIS” is always used as an “excuse.”

“The fight against ISIS there is only ... to keep ISIS prisoners in prison. That's it. And unfortunately, our American friends and some European friends are using a terrorist organization to keep other terrorists in prison,” he added.

Emphasizing that this was not the right decision, Fidan urged the US to reach a mutual understanding on issues such as how Daesh/ISIS prisoners will be held, the dismantling of the PKK/YPG, and how the basic rights and security of Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen will be ensured.

On Türkiye’s fight against PKK/YPG terrorist organizations in northeastern Syria, Fidan said that the YPG is an artificially created, organized terrorist group formed by people from Türkiye, Iraq, Syria, and some from Europe.

“I think this artificial terrorist organization should be disbanded immediately. First of all, now there is a new administration in Syria. I think they have to take care of their own business, because we are talking about territorial unity and sovereignty and integrity of Syria,” he added.

Fidan stated that addressing this issue by the new administration in Syria is one of the paths they would prefer, adding: “This is the preferred way. I mean, if it doesn't happen, we have to protect our own national security.”

“Whatever is necessary will be done,” Fidan said.

Noting that the PKK/YPG should negotiate with Damascus to find a solution, Fidan said: “Because now there is a new administration in Damascus, and the YPG, PKK don't have Russia, Iran and regime alliance behind them.”

“YPG, PKK know what we want. We don't want to see any form of military threat to ourselves, not the present one, but also the potential one,” he further said.

On the possibility of a cease-fire in Gaza, Fidan said that all the relevant parties that he spoke to are more optimistic, and Türkiye is also more optimistic.

Stating that Israel and Hamas are getting closer to a solution in Gaza in a “degree of reality,” Fidan said that it is still unknown how they are close to that.

“Close enough to really bridge the gap so that they can reach a cease-fire? We'll see very soon,” he added.

Fidan further said that Hamas is indeed approaching it.

- Concern over Israel-Iran war

When asked if he is concerned about a war between Israel and Iran, Fidan replied: "Very much, very much."

The foreign minister stated that, for whatever reason, such a thing could happen, and that this possibility exists.

“The only thing that I know is that the Iranians, they don't want such a war. They would like to avoid any major confrontation. This is, you know, a direct information that I've had from our Iranian friends as a result of my meetings with them,” he further said.