Turkish Opposition Leader Plans to Return Syrian Refugees

Turkish police detain demonstrators in Istanbul on the anniversary of a suicide bombing in Suruc (AFP)
Turkish police detain demonstrators in Istanbul on the anniversary of a suicide bombing in Suruc (AFP)
TT
20

Turkish Opposition Leader Plans to Return Syrian Refugees

Turkish police detain demonstrators in Istanbul on the anniversary of a suicide bombing in Suruc (AFP)
Turkish police detain demonstrators in Istanbul on the anniversary of a suicide bombing in Suruc (AFP)

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of Turkey's main opposition, the Republican People's Party, has renewed his intention to return Syrian refugees to their country if he won the presidential elections in June 2023.

Kilicdaroglu announced a four-stage plan over two years to return 99 percent of the Syrian refugees to their country after providing them with all means of safety and stability.

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of community organizations and local leaders in Ankara, the opposition leader said the first stage includes dialogue with the Syrian regime and restoring relations to normal between Ankara and Damascus.

The second step includes ensuring the safety of citizens' lives and property if they return to areas under the regime's control, said Kilicdaroglu, adding that the Turkish and Syrian armies and the UN will provide security.

The third stage will prepare for housing and jobs for the returnees through EU funding to Turkish construction companies, and the fourth stage includes transferring the factories established by Syrian businessmen in Gaziantep to Aleppo.

Kilicdaroglu indicated that the Turkish community is not comfortable with the Syrians, adding that he will create the right conditions for 99 percent of the Syrian refugees to return to their homeland.

The opposition leader made numerous statements about returning the Syrians and bidding farewell to them at the border.

"Don't you worry. We will send our Syrian siblings to their homes with drums and zurnas within two years at the latest," Kilicdaroglu said.

The issue of the displaced Syrian has become the top concern of the Turkish public ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections next year, in light of the deteriorating economic conditions in the country.

Meanwhile, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, will visit Turkey between Jul 25 and 29.

Msuya is expected to meet with Turkish officials, donors, UN agencies, and local and international NGOs involved in cross-border aid. She will engage with affected people and Syrian women's groups to discuss the challenges they face.



Trump Administration Tells Embassies to Rein in Criticism of Foreign Elections

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes part in a meeting between President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes part in a meeting between President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
20

Trump Administration Tells Embassies to Rein in Criticism of Foreign Elections

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes part in a meeting between President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes part in a meeting between President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)

The State Department is pulling back from commenting on or criticizing elections overseas unless there is a clear and compelling US foreign policy interest in doing so.

In new guidance issued Thursday to all US embassies and consulates abroad, the department said that those outposts should refrain from issuing statements that invoke any particular ideology and that what they may say must be in line with President Donald Trump’s stated position that the US will respect the sovereignty of all foreign nations.

“Consistent with the administration’s emphasis on national sovereignty, the department will comment publicly on elections only when there is a clear and compelling US foreign policy interest to do so,” according to the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press.

The department has for decades issued statements highly critical of or questioning the legitimacy of certain elections, notably in authoritarian countries. That is changing as the Trump administration has emphasized an “America First” foreign policy approach centered on US interests.

“When it is appropriate to comment on a foreign election, our message should be brief, focused on congratulating the winning candidate, and, when appropriate, noting shared foreign policy interests,” the cable said.

The document, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and first reported by the Wall Street Journal, said “messages should avoid opining on the fairness or integrity of an electoral process, its legitimacy or the democratic values of the country in question.”

In the past, US commentary questioning or criticizing elections aboard often has come in support of findings from various election monitoring groups, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe or US-based institutions such as the Carter Center, the National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute.

The department cable said that amplifying the findings of outside groups or denouncing electoral irregularities can only be done with permission from senior officials in Washington.