Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday answered questions related to current issues during his appearance on a television program.
Key points from Foreign Minister Fidan's statements are as follows:
"Since there was no available flight that day, we had to travel by road. The Idlib area was fine. However, there was destruction until we reached the outskirts of Hama, Homs, and Damascus. It looked as if it had just come out of an earthquake. You can also see how ruthless the regime is towards its own people. It was the regime that prepared its own downfall. Despite no conflict for 6-7 years, it didn't use that time to heal the wounds of the people.
Our meeting lasted a long time. We addressed every issue. We discussed what needs to be done in Syria and Türkiye's recommendations. Before going there, I conducted a diplomatic marathon with the international community. We had a thesis: Let's decide among ourselves what we want without judging the new administration and go with our recommendations. We said this was our approach. Our points included Syria's need to no longer be a threat to its neighbors, ensuring the safety of minorities, and maintaining territorial integrity. When the first crisis broke out, everyone was shocked. As Türkiye, we put forward a statement that everyone would accept, and everyone accepted it. We explained these points to al-Sharaa as well. He said, 'I agree with this idea, I have no objection.' We had two main issues: the situation of our Syrian brothers and the elimination of the PKK terrorist organization's presence. We addressed these issues. Al-Sharaa is aware of both his responsibilities and the expectations the region has of him. He is a rational and composed leader. I am hopeful.
But I am in favor of passing judgment based on the policies being implemented. At the point we've reached, there is no problem in terms of guaranteeing the safety of minorities. But could there be problems tomorrow? It's possible. The Syrian people have adopted a government that represents them. Our role is to show respect. The number one task at hand is to have a government that serves the people and has international credibility. Our President has given instructions regarding the mobilization of resources. Healing the wounds is crucial. Aleppo is completely destroyed, and it needs to be rebuilt.
More than half of the population governed by al-Sharaa has been displaced. Reconstruction efforts must begin for the return of refugees. I asked about the roadmap. The name of the state will be the Syrian Arab Republic. They have added one more star to the flag. Currently, when we look at the balance of forces on the ground, Ahmed al-Sharaa and his team, along with the support of the Syrian National Army, are an important starting point for ensuring military security. While millions of people suffered heavy hardships during the previous period, it is not right to preemptively blame them in this way. They said, 'We came here not to do to others what has been done to us,' and hopefully, they will continue on this path. As time progresses and events take shape, there is a possibility that dissatisfaction may emerge. We have long since given up on such titles. Our relationship should be one of equality; those on the other side are our brothers. The Syrian people are a noble people. Our duty is to help them. We are against the idea of domination. We are not in favor of a policy where either Türkiye or Iran dominates the region. We oppose this. This is a very primitive style of foreign policy.
As a state, we have been working on this issue for years. The new government in Syria needs to take the necessary steps to take ownership of this problem. If they do not accept it, which is obvious as they are playing for time, we will see. These people came here by fighting. The government in Damascus is not a government that fears fighting. Israel touched the previous regime's capacity. The ultimatum we gave them is clear. We do not see any preparations or intentions for this, and we are waiting. While we state our conditions, we also express this: If you do not want military action, the PKK leadership must leave the country. They know who they are; their names are with us. This should be a bloodless, problem-free transition. The Syrian Kurds who are not part of the PKK should be able to integrate into normal life without their lives or property being threatened. The new government guarantees this. Damascus is talking to them, and they will keep saying it again and again: We are telling them you are engaged in terrorist activities. This farce needs to come to an end in the region. It has been years that these people, who have been living in caves, are in charge. When they went into the cave and took charge, there was no internet."
