Syrian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Meet in Damascus; Emphasis on Expanding Cooperation

According to Kurdistan Press, Asad al-Shaibani, Foreign Minister of the Syrian interim government, and Hakan Fidan, Foreign Minister of Turkey, met in Damascus and discussed strengthening relations between the two countries, activating joint high-level committees, and expanding cooperation in the political, economic and security fields. After the meeting, the two sides held a joint press conference at the Tishreen Palace in Damascus.According to Syrian media, Al-Shaibani announced that Syrian-Turkish relations have expanded rapidly in recent times and that the energy, trade, return of refugees, education and culture files were discussed in the meeting with Fidan.

He also said that the activation of joint high-level committees chaired by the foreign ministers of the two countries, the establishment of a permanent secretariat and the formation of specialized committees to follow up on the implementation of agreements were also discussed in the meeting.

The Foreign Minister of the Syrian interim government announced that Damascus intends to increase the volume of trade exchanges with Ankara from about $4 billion last year to $10 billion. He also emphasized the development of joint industrial zones in border areas and the strengthening of cooperation in the fields of energy and transportation.

Al-Shaibani also emphasized the importance of forming a unified national army and the monopoly of weapons in the hands of the government.Hakan Fidan also said that all armed forces should be integrated into the state structure and stressed the importance of preserving the unity of Syria, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Damascus and Ankara emphasize opposition to Israeli attacks

The two sides also discussed Israel's actions in southern Syria. Al-Shaibani announced that Damascus insists on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the areas before January 8, 2024 and adherence to the 1974 disengagement agreement, and prefers diplomatic channels.

Fidan also condemned the Israeli attacks, considering the country's policies one of the main obstacles to stability and positive developments in Syria. He cited the attack on Abu Dhur airport as an example of these actions.The Turkish Foreign Minister also announced Ankara's support for efforts to remove obstacles to Syria's integration into the global economy, saying Turkey wants to strengthen trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Fidan also stressed the importance of developing the railway project connecting Turkey to Saudi Arabia via Syria, calling for strengthening this route and related cooperation.