Will Turkey carry out operations in Syria? Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan answers
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made evaluations about the developments in the Middle East in an interview with Al Jazeera, based in Qatar. Regarding the claims about Turkey’s role in the power change in Syria by the US elected president, Donald Trump, Fidan stated, “This cannot be defined as a seizure. It would be a serious mistake to describe the events in Syria in this way. For the Syrian people, this is not a seizure. What happened is that the Syrian people have taken control of their destiny, and have taken control there.”
When asked whether it is correct to say that the power to govern Syria lies with Turkey, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan responded by saying, “We would never want such a thing. I believe that we have all learned great lessons from what has been happening in our region.”
Fidan emphasized that there should not be Turkish domination, Persian domination, or Arab domination in the region, but instead, cooperation should be the focus. He highlighted the importance of standing with the Syrian people and emphasized that it should not be perceived as domination.
Regarding the YPG, which is the Syrian extension of the PKK terrorist organization, Fidan stated that the YPG poses a significant threat to Turkey and is trying to maintain its presence and dominance in the areas it has occupied. He also pointed out that the YPG is essentially an extension of the PKK and criticized Western allies for ignoring this fact.
Fidan also touched upon the importance of helping the Syrian people, especially in providing basic services like health, transportation, food, education, and communication in the current situation in Syria.
In conclusion, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized the need for time to see the progress in Syria and mentioned that Turkey’s responsibility in the region is increasing, urging for cooperation with neighboring countries for the development and political stability of the region.
