Addressing a convention of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Tuesday in the capital of Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his support for Syria’s territorial integrity and people, and said Turkey is determined to confront PKK/YPG and Daesh terrorism. He added that Turkey will never allow Syria to be divided. His speech reaffirmed Turkey’s important role in the Syrian crisis and its solutions.
Preserving Syria’s Territorial Integrity
The Assad regime was toppled last November with the liberation of Damascus on December 8 as a result of an offensive led by the Syrian National Army (SNA) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) against the 61-year-old Baathist regime. Congratulate the people of Syria for their success. Ankara’s long-standing support for anti-Syrian forces has played a key role in the struggle.
Erdogan also stressed that Turkey would resist any attack on Syria’s independence, the new administration, and take a stand against terrorist organizations trying to create autonomous regions in Syria.
Human Leadership
The Syrian civil war has had an impact on refugee flows in Turkey. The country has become the world’s largest refugee host, hosting millions of Syrian refugees. Emphasizing Turkey’s open border policy, Erdoğan acknowledged that the Syrian crisis has created many challenges for the country. One of Turkey’s efforts was to provide protection, shelter and ensure their welfare to Syrians rejected by other countries. Beyond the border, Türkiye has provided humanitarian aid to displaced Syrians. These efforts by Turkey have played an important role in bringing humanitarian aid and regional stability.
Turkiye’s Constructive Role
After the fall of the Assad regime, Erdoğan said that Syria now faces a difficult challenge. The country has to face tough challenges like restructuring the state institutions, ensuring political unity and establishing peace in the country. Türkiye will encourage inclusion and unity among Syrian political groups by playing a constructive role in addressing this challenge. Erdoğan specifically noted that, in contrast to Iraq’s post-Saddam experience, which was marred by foreign intervention and internal divisions, Syria’s transition process shows positive prospects.
The Syrian opposition has already gained administrative experience by managing safe zones, which has prepared them to provide effective leadership. He said it was crucial to transform the armed groups into a regular army and reform the state institutions while keeping the necessary parts of the administrative structure in place. Türkiye can play an important role in establishing stability and peace in Syria by providing assistance in the military, political and diplomatic fields.
Turkey’s role in ensuring stability in Syria is quite different from foreign intervention in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Türkiye has been instrumental in building a united movement by providing consistent support to opposition groups where some forces are fueling instability. Turkey’s involvement in Syria is seen as an example of constructive engagement. It called on the new administration to ensure representation of all groups by prioritizing inclusive policies. Turkey’s role will be crucial for long-term peace and reconstruction in Syria.
A Vision for the Future
Türkiye dreams of a safe, peaceful and prosperous Syria, which will be achieved through cooperation and unity. Erdogan made it clear in his speech that Türkiye is committed to protecting Syrian refugees, ensuring their dignified return and helping Syria’s reconstruction process. In the regional context, Türkiye is aiming to spread stability and peace. The experience of the Syrian struggle and Turkey’s steadfast support show hope for a bright future. Turkey’s cooperation and humanitarian efforts in establishing lasting peace and unity for this war-torn nation will pave the way not only for achieving internal stability in Syria, but also for building a strong and united nation.
