Syria’s Foreign Ministry sets conditions for normalization with Turkey

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: SANA
13 Jul 2024 20:59

The Syrian government insists that the withdrawal of foreign troops in its territory is crucial for achieving genuine normalization between the two countries.

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An undated picture shows the frontal view of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (SANA)

Syria's Foreign Ministry on Saturday issued a statement outlining the key conditions for any potential normalization of relations with Turkey.

The statement said that the process must focus on restoring the pre-2011 status in Syria, based on mutual respect, and addressing shared security threats.

In its statement, the Syrian government made it clear that any normalization efforts with Turkey should aim to return to the situation as it was before the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011.

The Foreign Ministry stressed that this initiative should not be viewed as mere media rhetoric but as a serious, fact-based endeavor grounded in mutual respect for each nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

A central condition for successful normalization, according to the statement, is the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syrian territories.

The Syrian government insists that this step is crucial for achieving genuine normalization between the two countries.

The statement further highlighted the importance of joint efforts to combat terrorist groups that pose threats to both Syria and Turkey, noting that addressing these security challenges is a shared responsibility.

Syria's Foreign Ministry also expressed gratitude to the "brotherly parties" who have assisted in facilitating the discussions and efforts toward normalization between Syria and Turkey.

Turkey to end military operations in Iraq, Syria

The Syrian Foreign Ministry's statement comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced earlier in the day that Turkey's military operation against Kurdish PKK fighters in northern Iraq and Syria is nearing its conclusion.

"We will very soon complete the lockdown of the area of operation in northern Iraq," Erdogan told young military academy graduates at a ceremony.

Kurdish forces are now "incapable of acting inside our borders," he added.

Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) had been "completely trapped" in both Iraq and Syria, and Turkish forces were "all over them," he further noted.

"We will complete the missing points of the security belt along our southern border with Syria."

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK began in 1984 and saw a resurgence in 2015. The PKK's objective is to establish an independent Kurdish state, which would include parts of Turkey.

Since 2016, Ankara has conducted a series of ground operations aimed at driving Kurdish forces out of the border regions in northern Syria, illegally occupying parts of the country.

Operation Claw-Lock was launched in 2022 for Turkey to fortify its border with northern Iraq in response to allegations that Kurdish separatists were conducting attacks against Turkey.

This created severe friction with Syria and Iraq, particularly due to the invasive nature of the operation. However, Erdogan recently announced plans to invite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Ankara in efforts to restore diplomatic ties.