Jeyhun Aliyev
19 July 2022•Update: 20 July 2022
ANKARA
Türkiye is determined to root out terror organizations in Syria that threaten its security, the nation's president said Tuesday.
"We are determined to eradicate the evil groups that target our national security from Syria," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said ahead of a trilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Iran's capital of Tehran.
The leaders gathered for the 7th summit in the Astana format to discuss recent developments in Syria, the fight against terror groups, particularly the YPG/PKK and Daesh/ISIS, which pose a threat to regional security, the humanitarian situation and the voluntarily return of Syrians.
Erdogan said the PYD/PKK terror organization is trying to divide Syria with external support. "It must be clearly understood that there is no room for separatist terrorism and its extensions in the future of our region."
He also said Syria's Tal Rifat and Manbij have become "a hotbed of terror," adding that "the time has come to clear these lands from the terrorist organizations seeking a safe harbor."
Describing the Astana talks on Syria as a "struggle that can take effective and concrete steps," Erdogan said Türkiye expects the support of Russia and Iran to fight terrorism in Syria.
The voluntary and safe return of Syrians to their homeland is an important agenda item of the Astana process, said Erdogan. He urged that "quick and concrete results" by the Syrian Constitutional Committee must be ensured as its failure is seen as the failure of the Astana process.
The Astana process was launched in 2017 to restore peace in Syria, which has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters with unexpected ferocity.
Eradicating all terrorist groups in Syria
Putin underlined the importance of wiping out all terror groups, especially Deash/ISIS, across the Syrian territory.
He stressed that the efforts of Russia, Türkiye and Iran to resolve the crisis in Syria are "generally effective."
Putin said the adoption of "concrete measures" to promote an intra-Syrian inclusive dialogue is the task of the three countries.
"We see it as a task for the near future to agree on concrete steps to promote an intra-Syrian inclusive political dialogue, that is, to put into practice our agreement to create conditions under which the Syrians themselves, without outside interference, could determine the fate of their country," he said.
"Russia is firmly committed to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria," he added.
Putin demanded the world community, including UN structures, play a "more significant role" in resolving humanitarian issues in Syria and "avoiding the politicization" of the process.
Speaking on the post-conflict development of Syria, he said among the main tasks of guarantors countries of the Astana process is the restoration of the Syrian economy and the social sphere, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes and the creation of conditions for safe and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance for those who need it.
Putin also proposed convening the next Astana summit on Syria be in Russia, and invited Iranian and Turkish leaders to attend.
"Thanks to the help and support of our countries, the level of violence in Syria has noticeably dropped, peaceful life is being revived, and the economy and social sphere are gradually being restored," he said.
