Contact Us

Türkiye aiming for maritime agreement with Syria, transport minister says

Türkiye plans to pursue a maritime demarcation agreement with Syria after a permanent government is established in Damascus, aiming to clarify rights over oil and hydrocarbon exploration. This follows Türkiye's engagement with Syria's new interim administration after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad.

Reuters DIPLOMACY
Published December 24,2024
Subscribe

Türkiye is aiming to strike a maritime demarcation agreement with Syria after a permanent government is formed in Damascus, Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said on Tuesday.

Türkiye , which backed Syrian opposition groups who toppled President Bashar al-Assad this month after a 13-year civil war, has been in close contact with the new interim administration of its neighbour, including Türkiye 's intelligence chief and foreign minister meeting with de-facto Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan last week said Ankara would improve ties with Syria including in trade, energy and defence.

Türkiye is also planning to start negotiations with the new Syrian administration on a possible maritime demarcation agreement, Transport Minister Uraloglu told reporters.

"Of course an authority must first be established there... It will be on our agenda for sure, but it's hard to say that it's on today's agenda," Uraloglu said.

The maritime demarcation agreement would be in line with international law and would allow two countries to determine authorities for oil and hydrocarbon exploration, the minister also said.