Turkey, Syria have differing versions of quadripartite meeting
QAMISHLI, Syria’s (North Press) – Turkish, Syrian, Russian and Iranian government officials, who met in Moscow on Tuesday, April 25, to discuss the restoration of ties between Syria and Turkey, still have different versions of the four-way meeting.
The meeting, repeatedly delayed, took place between Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashitani, as well as the intelligence chiefs of all four countries.
The Turkish defense minister called the meeting “constructive” and used the word “normalization” for the first time since Ankara cut ties with the government of Bashar al-Assad at the outset of the Syrian civil war. Akar also said the two parties discussed strengthening security ties, particularly against “terrorist” groups.
The Turkish government considers the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to be a threat to its country. In 1998, Ankara and Damascus had also made peace by signing a security agreement that would dislodge the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from Syria.
The Turkish statement also reiterated their “respect for Syria’s territorial integrity.”
Syria’s take-away, however, differed significantly from the Turkish version. Damascus did describe the meeting as “positive,” but pushed back against the idea that concrete steps towards normalization were discussed.
According to the pro-government al-Watan newspaper, the two sides only discussed mechanisms for Turkey’s withdrawal from Syria and an opening of the M4 highway along the opposition-controlled Idlib region in northwest Syria.
“Normalization or the normal relationship between Turkey and Syria means the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian territory. Without withdrawal, normal relations will not be established … withdrawal is the first issue that must be resolved in the normalization talks,” a source within the government told the paper.
Bashar al-Assad had previously said that the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian territory was a prerequisite to any meeting between him and the Turkish president.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a speech before Tuesday’s meeting that the “withdrawal from northern Syria means the cessation of our military operations against terrorism and the approach of terrorists to our borders, and this constitutes a threat to our national security.”
“We do not aspire to cut off parts of the Syrian lands,” he added, “but we cannot withdraw from northern Syria unless security is established and full stability returns to those areas.”
Under the pretext of preserving national security, Turkey continues to target areas in north and northeast Syria with drones, shells, and artillery.
Both sides also discussed the return of around 4 million Syrians currently living in Turkey.