Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Türkiye's contact with Syria is ongoing on every level as Ankara signaled more progress in normalization. "We hope (the Syrian regime) will value President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's call for peace," he said at a joint news conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Sunday.
Fidan, who is expected to meet Syria's Bashar Assad in the near future, stated that Türkiye would not abandon the Syrian opposition it supported for years while mending ties with Syria. "We won’t change our stance on the Syrian opposition. We cannot forget the sacrifice they made against terrorism. We won’t abandon them," he told reporters in Istanbul.
He said Türkiye would not expel Syrian refugees it is hosting and said they can return to their country voluntarily if they wish.
The minister stated that President Erdoğan has long pursued a vision of peace, from the Middle East to Africa, and Türkiye always has room for dialogue, "whether indirectly or directly." He mentioned that he was also involved in talks for normalization in the past mediated by Russia and Iran but that talks have been at a standstill.
"We are in an era in which the region needs peace. Calling for peace is not weakness," he said.
Fidan also said it was a complicated process and that Syria faced a very complicated situation. "There is Russia, there is Iran on the ground. There are militias, smugglers, attacks by Israel. Conflicts vary. We cannot act only by thinking about our interests. We have to examine what Syria needs," he said.
Fidan also dismissed reports that normalization with the Assad regime would change Türkiye's stance regarding the Syrian opposition. "We won't change our position, but the Syrian opposition will make their own, free decision on this matter. We can only act in a constructive way. It is out of the question that we will abandon them," he said.
Fidan welcomed the Saudi foreign minister on Sunday for a meeting. The two top diplomats, who were received by Erdoğan earlier in Istanbul, held a joint news conference and lauded their countries' heightened bilateral ties. The main theme of their meeting was the Palestine-Israel conflict. The two men, who together engaged in global diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict and immediate humanitarian aid delivery, renewed their support for a fair peace process.
The Turkish minister said that their priorities on the Palestine-Israel conflict were clear: approval of a cease-fire plan by Israel, an end to attacks and access to humanitarian aid. "Yet, whenever steps are taken on the matter, the Netanyahu administration embarks on a new massacre. Israeli officials should know that they will be held accountable sooner or later for what they've done. I condemn Israel's blows to peace," he said.
He mentioned Hamas' positive approach toward peace in recent weeks but lamented that Israel spoiled those efforts. "It is clear that the Netanyahu administration has no intention to accept peace," he said. He urged the international community to exert pressure on Israel to stop the attacks and discuss peace.