Erdoğan: No return to pre-Dec 8 period in Syria
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said a return to the era before the ouster of Bashar al-Assad is no longer feasible in Syria, describing the current period as a turning point for the region.
"A new era has begun in that country with the Dec. 8 [2024] revolution. As Syria gains stability, the entire region will be the winner," Erdoğan said in televised remarks late on April 15.
Assad was overthrown two days later following a lightning offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The group’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has since been named interim president and formed a cabinet last month.
“The possibility of a return to the pre-Dec. 8 period in Syria has been eliminated,” Erdoğan said, reaffirming Türkiye's support for the political transition.
Al-Sharaa’s administration has gained recognition from several Arab states as well as key backer Türkiye. The interim government has launched a series of diplomatic engagements, including visits by al-Sharaa to several Arab capitals and Ankara.
Erdoğan also referenced ongoing talks between the new Syrian authorities and YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
“Türkiye is not a country whose borders are to be tested, nor is its friendship or enmity,” Erdoğan said. “Especially in Syria, instead of testing Türkiye's patience, some actors should appreciate its friendship, adjust their discourse and policies accordingly, and act like a state, not an organization.”
Syrian government officials and SDF are currently in talks over implementing recent agreements, which include the gradual integration of YPG into a new national structure.
Ankara sees YPG as the Syrian offshoot of PKK, which is listed as a terror group by Türkiye, the U.S. and the EU.
The negotiations come weeks after jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan called on the terror group to disarm and dissolve itself on Feb. 27.
Türkiye is keeping a close watch on the developments, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said on April 14.
“We are in favor of resolving issues in the region through dialogue. However... we will not allow these developments to prevent the region's indispensable needs and demands from being met,” he told a video conference with senior commanders.
Erdoğan, meanwhile, warned that any actor obstructing Syria’s stabilization efforts would face Turkish opposition.
“In a period when tensions are escalating and new crises are constantly emerging, Türkiye will continue to prioritize justice, peace and diplomacy,” he said.
“While the opposition is begging Western media outlets to cover up corruption investigations, we are trying to increase Türkiye's reputation on a global scale."
He positioned Türkiye as a key global actor, describing it as “a polar cap of a multipolar world.”
